OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS FROM REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

Andrej Krčmar and Vuk Janković, high school students from Banja Luka and Trebinje, recently won gold at the International Mathematical Olympiad, a triumph achieved through countless hours of dedication, effort, and knowledge.

PHOTO: Glas Srpske

Their success in the world of numbers is attributed to their love, passion, and curiosity, hallmarks of true geniuses.

These young men have won numerous awards in mathematics, physics, and computer science competitions both domestically and internationally over the past years. Their latest victory was a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad held last week in the UK.

Along with four other high school students from Bosnia and Herzegovina, they made history by placing their country at the top of this prestigious competition for the first time in 32 years, standing alongside students from China, the USA, South Korea, and Vietnam.

Though they never dreamed of it, Andrej and Vuk, the golden boys from Republika Srpska, have achieved a feat that will resonate within the mathematical community.

"None of us can believe we won gold for the first time in our country’s history. When I stepped onto the podium to receive my medal, it felt surreal. It will take time for the achievement to sink in," said Vuk Janković, who will enter the second grade of Jovan Dučić Gymnasium in Trebinje this fall.

Despite fierce competition, Janković noted that the problems he solved were not as challenging as expected, highlighting the level of difficulty far above the regular high school curriculum.

"Each day of the competition, we had four and a half hours to solve three problems, arranged by difficulty. My strategy was to focus on the first two tasks each day. I solved four problems completely, one partially, and didn't score on the last one," he added, emphasizing his passion for mathematics and physics.

Andrej Krčmar, equally positive about the experience, described winning the medal as the culmination of his hard work.

"It's a privilege to participate in such an event with the best high school students from around the world. Competing with students from countries with more developed education systems and resources, and winning gold, was extraordinary," said Krčmar, who finished the second grade at Banja Luka Gymnasium and also attends the Sarajevo School of Mathematics.

Krčmar, who has participated in international competitions five times, plans to continue competing and aims to study abroad, possibly in the USA or the UK, given the opportunities opened by his achievements.

The directors of their respective high schools praised their golden students for their academic excellence and character, acknowledging the tremendous effort and dedication that led to their historic success.