Tim De Guzman of Saint Mary's Catholic College recently participated in the prestigious International Maths Challenge and was awarded the title of 'Champion'.
There are more than 270,000 students from over 35 countries participating in the competition, but Tim outshined them all in the Year 8 test, with results landing him in the 98.32 percentile in Australia.
When asked about participating in the competition, Tim said he enjoys Maths.
“I really enjoy problem-solving, thinking critically, and logic puzzles but I was surprised to have won as I've only just started learning trigonometry.
“Last time, I was awarded 'Elitist' – achieving around 88% – but this time I was in the top scoring above 95% so I'm very happy."
Tim's parents, Evelyn and Philip De Guzman, said they are very proud of his efforts.
“I received the news while visiting my mum in the Philippines. I was really happy and proud. I immediately shared it to the family group chat to congratulate Tim and share the news with his dad and siblings," Mrs De Guzman said.
When asked about Tim's study habits, Mrs De Guzman said, “Tim has learned to manage his time between study and leisure and doesn't typically spend too much time studying."
Tim said he plans to pursue a career that involves the elements of Maths, though he's still deciding between Engineering and Psychology. One thing is for certain; Tim is taking after his accomplished parents. Mum, Evelyn has a PhD in Applied Biosciences and specialised in Molecular Microbiology. She currently teaches at Saint Mary's. And Dad, Philip, has both a Masters and PhD in Structural and Geotechnical Engineering, working here in Kingaroy.
Whether it's good genetics or hard work, Tim's accomplishments are impressive and serve as an inspiration to other young people in Kingaroy. Well done, Tim! Keep shining and inspiring others.