RI students shine at science Olympiad
RI students shine at science Olympiad
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
Cash-strapped Indonesia has uncovered a new and rich deposit of
future scientists after its team of 12 students romped home with
six gold medals at the 2nd International Junior Science Olympiad
(IJSO) that closed on Monday.
The Indonesian students, who also collected five silver and
two bronze medals, eclipsed competitors from 33 other countries,
including Taiwan, Russia and South Korea, which finished second,
third and fourth respectively in the annual event.
Yosua Michael Maranatha gave Indonesia an extra laurel as he
won the coveted Absolute Winner trophy, the most prestigious
award in the competition. He was also named the Best Theory
Winner.
"Of course I'm happy. This is very encouraging," said 15-year-
old Yosua, a graduate of the Stella Duce junior high school in
Yogyakarta, after receiving the awards.
Yosua has been admitted to the State Senior High School No. 3
in the sultanate town, but has never attended classes there as he
had to undergo intensive training for the IJSO at Karawaci in
Tangerang, Banten starting April, along with his teammates.
It was a back-to-back success for Indonesia, which collected
eight gold medals in the inaugural event in Jakarta last year.
But Minister of National Education Bambang Sudibyo, who closed
the competition, said the fact that Indonesia had won less golds
this time around did not reflect a setback.
"I don't consider it a decline in our achievements. For me,
it's just a consequence of the increasing number of the
participating countries, including eastern European countries
that have a very strong tradition of science," Bambang said.
Compared to last year's event which saw 29 countries
participating, there were 34 nations represented this year.
Yohanes Surya, the man behind the national team's success,
agreed with Bambang. Surya said all the participating countries
were well prepared for the tough competition.
"Last year we were the most prepared team. If we want to
maintain our performance next year, we will have to devote more
time to the preparations," he said.
Surya, also the President of the Indonesian Physics Olympiad
Team, suggested that the selection of students for the 2006 IJSO
in Sao Paulo, Brazil, start in January.
Taiwan won five gold medals and a silver medal, with Russia
taking three gold and three silver medals and South Korea bagging
two gold and four silver medals.
Indonesia won its gold medals from Yosua, Arie Prasetyo, David
Halim, M. Firmansyah Kasim, Richtia Winnerdy and Winson. The
silvers came from Alwi Alfiansyah, Michael Agung Pradana, Saifur
Rizal, and Thomas A. Nugraha, while the bronzes were from Ratih
Tri Utami and Yessi Martha.
Organizers awarded the Best Experiment awards to Chin-Yu Chien
and Yu-Chi Yeh of Taiwan, Kalpit Tarang Dixit and Sanchit Kiran
Deshmukh of India and Mikhail Proskurin of Russia.
The Best Performer awards went to Samuel David Millner of
Britain, Manal Sakun Easa of the United Arab Emirates,
Rasolondraibe Ando Nantenaina of Madagascar, Bridget Durowa Antwi
Boasiako of Ghana, Mohammed Ahmed Hasen of Saudi Arabia, and
Fahad Nayf Al Harbi of Kuwait.
A total of 280 students took part in the week-long
competition, which was opened by President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono on Monday last week.