October 23, 2026 at 3:52 PM“In the Footsteps of Thales” – İzmir 2026
PREPARATIONS FOR THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION – JUNE 2027
Preparations have begun for the 10th anniversary edition of the International Mathematics Tournament “Mathematics Without Limits – In the Footsteps of Thales”, with the international final scheduled for early June 2027 in Türkiye.
We have attached a form for schools and educational centres interested in receiving information about the upcoming edition. Interested institutions are kindly requested to complete the form and send it to the email addresses indicated in the form.
Individual applications from students or parents are not accepted.
Once the tournament schedule has been finalized, we will provide detailed information about the qualification round and the international final.
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334 Young Mathematicians from 10 Countries in the Final of “In the Footsteps of Thales” – İzmir 2026
9TH INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT “IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THALES” – ÖZDERE, TÜRKİYE 2026
The ninth edition of the international mathematics tournament concluded with medals, trophies, olive wreaths, and special awards from the Mayor of İzmir. Preparations are now beginning for the jubilee tenth edition in June 2027.
On October 10 and 11, 2026, the ninth edition of the international tournament “Mathematics Without Borders – In the Footsteps of Thales” took place in Özdere, near İzmir, Türkiye.
The tournament began with a preliminary qualification round, which determined the students eligible to participate in the major international final.
A total of 334 finalists from 10 countries – Bulgaria, Türkiye, the Philippines, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, India, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, and Italy – participated in the competition. Some competed in person in Türkiye, while others solved the problems in their home countries under supervised conditions.
On October 10, the young mathematicians had 60 minutes to solve seven problems. Five required short answers, while two required detailed mathematical solutions.
The following day, October 11, the official awards ceremony for the participants attending the final in Türkiye took place in front of the Grand Efe Hotel, on the shores of the Aegean Sea.
Among the official guests was Dr. Mustafa Bahar, a member of the İzmir Metropolitan Municipal Council, representative of the Menderes district, and member of the Environment and Health Commission, who took part in presenting the awards to the young mathematicians.
The ceremony was also attended by the tournament’s founder, Mustafa Öztürk, members of the international jury Ivan Kanev, a student at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and Chavdar Chukov, a student at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria, as well as the tournament’s organizational partners.
Team Competition – Two Bulgarian Teams Win Gold Medals
The team rankings were determined by the sum of the three highest individual scores achieved by students from different grades within the same school. When a school did not have representatives from three different grades, the available highest scores from different grades were counted.
Gold team medals were awarded to:
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Baba Tonka Mathematics High School – Ruse, Bulgaria.
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Acad. Kiril Popov Mathematics High School – Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Silver team medals were awarded to:
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Fen Lisesi – İzmir, Türkiye.
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Ivan Vazov High School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences – Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria.
Bronze team medals were awarded to:
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Özel Bilfen Fen Lisesi – İzmir, Türkiye.
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Geo Milev High School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences – Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
Thus, four Bulgarian schools were among the medal-winning teams in the ninth edition of the tournament.
Mathematical Presentations Competition
Alongside the individual and team competitions, a Mathematical Presentations Competition was held, giving students the opportunity to present their mathematical ideas, research, and projects.
The Grand Prize was awarded to Fikret Isić from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Gold medals were awarded to two Bulgarian students – Darin Pavlov from Stara Zagora and Valentin Stanchev from Dimitrovgrad.
The competition highlighted another important aspect of mathematics education: students' ability not only to solve problems but also to investigate, explain, and present mathematical ideas.
Individual Rankings – Trophies and Gold Medals
In the individual competition, the highest-performing students received gold, silver, and bronze medals. The most successful participants in the final held in Türkiye were also awarded trophies.
Gold Trophies and Gold Medals
Bulgaria:
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Simeon Pavlinov Kolarov
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Zlatka Shteliyanova Andonova
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Vladimir Valeriev Sabev
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Danaya Danailova Atanasova
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Dian Dimitrov Georgiev
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Yakov Branko Mladenovski
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Valentin Nikolaev Stanchev
Türkiye:
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Zeki Baran Eyhan
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Yavuz Şen
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Devrim Çakır
Silver Trophies and Gold Medals
Bulgaria:
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Hristiyan Ivanov Marinski
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Dian Dimov Stankov
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Viktor Leven Severinov
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Georgi Plamenov Dimitrov
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Aleksandar Martinov Angelov
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Nia Minkova Kazakova
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Hristiyana Svetoslavova Georgieva
Türkiye:
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Rüzgar Kardeş
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Ahmet Mete İnce
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Kaan Keskin
Bronze Trophies and Gold Medals
Bulgaria:
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Darin Pavlov Pavlov
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Aleksandar Sabinev Zhelev
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Denislav Petkov Ganev
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Viktor Momchilov Mavrov
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Petar Petrov Georgiev
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Tsvetomir Vasilev Smilov
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Valentin Kirilov Kirilov
Türkiye:
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Kemal Kutlukaya
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Deniz Ersan
Gold Medals for Participants in the Remote Final
In addition to the students who received trophies and medals during the ceremony in Türkiye, gold medals were awarded to students who participated in the final from their home countries.
India:
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Ritwik Patra Mukherjee – Mumbai.
Vietnam:
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Nguyen De – Einstein School, Ho Chi Minh City.
Philippines:
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Phil Alexander Barcelona – St. John's Institute, Bacolod.
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Aaron Tyler Dy-Po – Grace Christian College, Quezon City.
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Gerard Nicco Amis – Miriam College Nuvali, Calamba.
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Alaina Shianne Gapuz – Palawan Hope Christian School, Puerto Princesa.
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Miguel Yee – St. John's Institute, Bacolod.
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Jenelle Nyka Lee – Chiang Kai Shek College, Manila.
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Kalel Elijah Lontok – De La Salle University Senior High School, Manila.
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Prince Jomarie Araneta – Philippine Academy of Sakya, Manila.
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Pia Alexie Barcelona – St. John's Institute, Bacolod.
Bosnia and Herzegovina:
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Emil Macić – Fourth Gymnasium Ilidža, Sarajevo.
Colombia:
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Mc Namara Dylan – Colegio Anglo Colombiano, Bogotá.
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Roca Zapata, Alvaro – Colegio Anglo Colombiano, Bogotá.
Kazakhstan:
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Shagatai Kurmangazy – Almaty.
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Aisultan Aidarbek – Kyzylorda.
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Azhar Bakitova – Atyrau.
Silver and Bronze Medals
A total of 28 silver and 37 bronze medals were awarded in the individual competition.
Silver medals were awarded to students from Bulgaria (4), Türkiye (3), the Philippines (5), Vietnam (2), Kazakhstan (3), Colombia (2), and Cyprus (2).
Bronze medals were awarded to students from Bulgaria (11), Türkiye (5), the Philippines (11), Vietnam (1), Kazakhstan (2), Colombia (5), and Italy (2).
Among the silver medalists were Kseniia Pastukhova (Grade 9) and Aniket Singh (Grade 8), both representing American Academy Limassol, Cyprus.
The trophies and gold medals were presented to the champions attending the ceremony by the tournament’s founder, Mustafa Öztürk.
One of the most memorable moments of the ceremony was the placing of olive wreaths on the champions' heads. Following the ancient Olympic tradition, the wreaths were placed by Vanya Dimova, an organizer of the “Mathematics Without Borders” tournament.
The olive wreath, known in the ancient Olympic Games as the kotinos, is a symbol of victory and recognition. In this way, the modern mathematics competition recalled the traditions of ancient Greece and the mathematical legacy of Thales.
Special Gifts from the Mayor of Menderes
The Mayor of Menderes Municipality, Ms. Asuman Şen, supported the 9th International Tournament “Mathematics Without Borders – In the Footsteps of Thales”, held in Özdere, near İzmir, Türkiye.
At her initiative, the winners of the Mathematical Projects Competition and the gold medalists in the team rankings received special gifts – pens and dried mandarins.
Mandarins are a characteristic fruit of the coastal area of Menderes Municipality and a symbol of local agriculture.
In this way, the gifts also represented part of the region’s natural wealth and traditions.
Special Gifts from the Mayor of İzmir, Dr. Cemil Tugay
One of the most memorable moments of the ceremony was the presentation of special gifts sent by Dr. Cemil Tugay, Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality.
The awards were presented to:
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Elisabetta Casale – Italy
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Yakov Mladenovski – Bulgaria
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Yavuz Şen – Türkiye
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Valentin Stanchev – Bulgaria
The gifts were miniature replicas of the famous İzmir Clock Tower, one of the city's most recognizable landmarks.
They carried a personal message:
“With my best wishes, Dr. Cemil Tugay, Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality.”
These souvenirs will remind the awarded students not only of their mathematical achievements but also of the hospitality of İzmir.
Parents and Teachers – An Essential Part of Success
Behind every international competition of this kind stand many people whose contributions do not always appear in rankings or award announcements.
First and foremost are the parents.
Without their trust, support, and efforts, many of the organizers' ideas for international gatherings of young mathematicians would be difficult to realize. Travel, preparation, time, and care for the children are essential parts of participation in such events.
Equally important is the role of teachers, who develop students' interest in mathematics, help them overcome difficulties, and encourage them to seek new challenges.
Among those who contribute with dedication to mathematics education is Katya Chalakova. In a photograph taken on October 11, at approximately 11:00 a.m., she captured parents of children who had won trophies at the tournament.
This photograph is a wonderful reminder that students' achievements are also the result of the combined efforts of families, teachers, and organizers.
Special Thanks
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Yusuf Yılmaz, Director of the Menderes District Directorate of National Education; Mustafa Dişbudak, Educational Projects Coordinator at the Menderes District Directorate of National Education; and Ali Can Güllü, Branch Director at the İzmir Provincial Directorate of National Education, for honoring the 9th edition of the International Mathematics Tournament “In the Footsteps of Thales” with their presence and welcoming remarks.
Their attention and encouragement towards young mathematicians from different countries highlighted the importance of international educational cooperation and the shared commitment to supporting and nurturing young mathematical talent.
Our sincere thanks to the parents and fellow teachers! Their trust, cooperation, and support make the continued development of the tournament possible.
