Cape Town pupil named as Africa's top young mathematician

A Cape Town matric girl has been named the top young mathematician in Africa.

Sangeun Lee‚ a pupil at St George's Grammar School in Mowbray‚ came top out of 45 participants in the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad in Senegal. She also won the girls competition for the second successive year.

The five other South African pupils who took part also came back with medals. Ralph McDougall‚ of Curro Durbanville Private School in Cape Town‚ won gold; Timothy Schelsinger of Rondebosch Boys' High and Hannah Clayton of Rustenburg Girls' High‚ both in Cape Town‚ won silver; and Rauseenah Upadhey of Westerford High in Cape Town and Mpho Nkwana of Clapham High in Pretoria won bronze.

Zanele Ncongolo‚ spokesman for the South African Mathematics Foundation‚ said contestants in the olympiad had to write two tests - "tough questions requiring insight‚ ingenuity and local rigorous proofs".

Liam Baker‚ the leader of the South African team‚ said: "The team did us proud and we are very honoured to have received all the medals."

The South Africans competed again teams from Mali‚ Gambia‚ Senegal‚ Kenya‚ Nigeria‚ Ivory Coast and Tunisia.