“I am full of admiration and appreciation for Michał Wolny, who, at the age of only 16, has achieved success on a par with the most talented scientists. Congratulations, and I hope to see you soon at the University of Warsaw,” says Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, Rector of the University of Warsaw, referring to the latest achievements of a student at Stanisław Staszic High School No. 14 in Warsaw. On 1st August, Michał Wolny won a gold medal at the International Olympiad in Informatics in Bolivia, and two weeks earlier he received a silver medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Australia.

This year’s International Olympiad in Informatics took place from 27th July to 3rd August in Bolivia. Over 300 students from more than 80 countries competed in the 37th edition. Poland had four representatives: Jerzy Olkowski from Stanisław Staszic High School No. 14 in Warsaw, Artur Smoleński from Barbara Bronisława Czarnowska Primary School No. 221 with Integration Departments in Warsaw, Franciszek Szymula from August Witkowski High School No. 5 in Kraków, and Michał Piotr Wolny from Stanisław Staszic High School No. 14 in Warsaw.

After two days of competition, a total of 165 medals were awarded: 28 gold, 55 silver and 82 bronze. Four of them were won by Polish students:

• Michał Wolny took 23rd place – gold medal;
• Franciszek Szymula took 43rd place – silver medal;
• Jerzy Olkowski took 53rd place – silver medal;
• Artur Smoleński took 92nd place – bronze medal.

Achievements in computer science and mathematics

Just two weeks before the competition in Bolivia, Michał Wolny won a silver medal at the 66th International Mathematical Olympiad in Australia. Out of more than 630 participants from 114 countries, Poland came away with three gold and three silver medals:

• Stanisław Lada (Stanisław Staszic High School No. 14 in Warsaw) scored 35 points and won a gold medal;
• Magdalena Pudełko (August Witkowski High School No. 5 in Kraków) scored 35 points and won a gold medal;
• Jakub Świcarz (Stanisław Staszic High School No. 14 in Warsaw) scored 35 points and won a gold medal;
• Mateusz Wawrzyniak (Academic Comprehensive Secondary School of Wrocław University of Science and Technology) scored 31 points and won a silver medal;
• Michał Wolny (Stanisław Staszic Secondary School No. 14 in Warsaw) scored 30 points and won a silver medal;
• Antoni Mazur (August Witkowski High School No. 5 in Kraków) scored 30 points and won a silver medal.

The team was supervised by, among others, Dr Tomasz Cieśla from the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics at the University of Warsaw (together with Dr Dominik Burek from the Jagiellonian University).