OBMEP awards gold medals to 683 students from all over the country
The National Awards Ceremony will take place on Monday (30), 3:30 p.m., in Rio.
24/6/2025
“The OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools) was the driving force behind my entire academic career. I came from a school in the countryside and couldn’t have dreamed of such achievements.” The statement by Mateus Mundstock Mendes de Carvalho, from Rio Paranaíba (MG), represents thousands of young people whose lives have been transformed by the country’s biggest scientific competition. Next Monday (30), Mateus, currently an undergraduate student at IMPA Tech, will receive his seventh gold medal at the National Awards Ceremony of the 19th OBMEP, in Rio de Janeiro.
Promoted by IMPA (Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics) with funding from the Ministries of Science, Technology and Innovation and Education, OBMEP brings together more than 18.5 million participants every year, from the 6th grade of elementary school to the 3rd grade of high school, in 99.9% of Brazilian municipalities.
The National Awards Ceremony marks the presentation of 683 gold medals to the students with the best performance in the three levels of the competition. “The awards ceremony for OBMEP gold medalists is the most enchanting event in our entire academic calendar,” says IMPA’s director-general, Marcelo Viana.
More than just recognition, OBMEP medals open doors to higher education. Institutions of excellence, such as IMPA Tech, Unicamp and USP, offer selection processes aimed at students who have won awards in scientific olympiads, valuing the performance and potential of young people who have won national medals, like Mateus.
A former student at the UFV (Federal University of Viçosa) School of Application, he had a remarkable career at OBMEP, winning seven gold medals. The awards guaranteed his participation in the advanced mathematics classes of the PIC (Junior Scientific Initiation Program). “The results of the Olympiad inspired me and sparked a great ambition, which led me to high school at a federal school and now to IMPA Tech. Not to mention the immense learning I’ve had from the PIC,” says Mateus.
Brothers André and Gabriel Müller, aged 15 and 12, from Jaraguá do Sul (SC), are also among the winners of the 19th edition. At the ceremony, André will receive his third gold medal and his younger brother his first.
“The OBMEP was responsible for introducing me to more interesting mathematics, the trips offered allowed me to meet people I could identify with and having my brother with me at this ceremony is a chance to honor his achievement up close,” commented André. “The Olympiad gave me the willpower to study and pursue a better position. It’s an achievement that will go on my CV,” concluded Gabriel.
Mateus, André and Gabriel will join the other students to receive their long-awaited medals. At the ceremony, IMPA will also award the Olympic Girls Trophy, created in 2018 to encourage female participation in scientific competitions. The award recognizes young talent and seeks to reduce gender inequalities in mathematics. Sixteen female students will be honored in this edition.
Jorge Vitório Pereira, IMPA’s deputy director and Olympiad manager, also stresses that the award goes beyond medals and trophies – it is a celebration of the efforts and achievements of thousands of young people. “Every year, OBMEP surprises with the creativity and determination of the students, proving that when we give opportunities, Brazil shows its potential.”
A program full of activities
The National Awards Ceremony is the culmination of the event, but the medalists’ experience begins with the trip to Rio de Janeiro. Divided into delegations, they arrive from all Brazilian states and the Federal District. The OBMEP coordinators organize all the logistics, pay for the air tickets of medal winners from public schools and provide accommodation for all the participants. At the hotel, the students take part in activities, lectures and a prize draw during the welcome dinner.
