The Australian 2025 European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) team has just been announced, with four female high school students heading to Pristina in Kosovo to compete from 11-17 April 2025.
This is the eighth year Australia will be represented at EGMO, the premier international mathematical problem-solving contest for young women. In similar style to the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), two papers will be taken on consecutive days. Participating countries send teams consisting of four female mathematicians of school age.
“We have high hopes that this year’s EGMO team will be spurred on by the success of the Australian team in 2024. The 2024 team came second overall, our best ever result in this competition and the best result for any Australian team competing internationally. We are confident our girls will bring home another fantastic result,” said Mike Clapper, Interim CEO of the Australian Maths Trust (AMT).
“All four young students have worked incredibly hard to get to this point and being named in the 2025 EGMO team is a testament to their hard work and talent in mathematics. We congratulate them on making it to the competition and are happy for them to have this opportunity, as we know the dedication it takes to make it to this level in mathematics,” Mr Clapper continued.
The Australian EGMO team, announced with a special ceremony yesterday, comprises Laura Nan in Year 12 at Fintona Girls’ School in Victoria; Amber Li in Year 11 at Pymble Ladies’ College in NSW; Olivia Sun in Year 10 at Lauriston Girls’ School, also in Victoria; and Zihui Zhang in Year 12 at Clayfield College in Queensland. Laura is competing for her third year in a row, and Amber for her second, with both students achieving Gold Medals in 2024.
Laura Nan has provided some insight into what she loves about mathematics ahead of participating in this year’s EGMO, saying that in a world that feels more chaotic and sometimes overwhelming by the day, maths feels like a beacon of stability in her life. She encourages other young women to challenge themselves through mathematics.
‘’It’s so important to have a good support network to uplift and learn from each other. When it feels challenging, knowing that someone else believes in you can make all the difference in the world because they will see your strengths when you’re overfocusing on everything you can do better,” said Laura Nan, EGMO team member from Fintona Girls’ School in Victoria.
And truly supported these girls are, with the 2025 EGMO team ably supported by each of their schools, the AMT’s Olympiad team, their Team Leader Michelle Chen, herself a former IMO bronze medallist, and Deputy Team Leader Elizabeth Yevdokimov. This year’s EGMO staffing team will be led by Michelle Chen, current IMO Deputy Team Leader. Michelle has a wealth of experience at EGMO, previously being the EGMO Deputy Team Leader from 2018 – 2021. Michelle is a software engineer at Google and is involved in the AMT’s high-performance pathway as an experienced lecturer and mentor.
AMT’s 2025 EGMO initiative is supported by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources through the Inspiring Australia – Science Engagement Programme. It is also supported by the Trust’s National Sponsor of the Australian Informatics and Mathematical Olympiad Programs, Optiver.
For more information on EGMO 2025 visit European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad: EGMO 2025 in Kosovo
MEDIA CONTACTS: For more information, photos and interviews with the EGMO team or Mike Clapper, please contact Lauren Griffiths, Threesides Marketing, at 0417 409 264 lauren.griffiths@threesides.com.au
MEDIA BACKGROUNDER
The European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad Australian team for 2025 comprises:
Laura Nan – Year 12, Fintona Girls’ School, VIC
Previous achievements in Mathematics
- Gold medal, IMO 2024 (International Mathematical Olympiad.)
- Gold medal, EGMO 2024.
- Perfect score in 2024 ASC (AMOC Senior Contest.)
- Perfect score and gold medal, EGMO 2023.
- Gold medal, AMOC Senior Contest (ASC) 2023.
- Peter O’Halloran Award and Cheryl Praeger Award at the Australian Mathematics Competition, 2023.
- Silver medal, Australian Mathematical Olympiad (AMO) 2022.
What excites you about mathematics?
In a world that feels more chaotic and sometimes overwhelming by the day, maths feels like a beacon of stability in my life. Unlike the other sciences, there is very little that new discoveries can do to uproot old ones – we may discover new ways of viewing mathematics, prove new theorems, but 2 will always be a prime in the integers. And when I do learn new perspectives on maths it’ll be safely built on top of previous ones, always just off the edge of my comfort zone.
Advice to other young women wanting to challenge themselves
I think the most important thing you can do is use these experiences to connect with other people. Even though you sit the paper by yourself, Olympiads are still very much a team event and it’s so important to have a good support network to uplift and learn from each other. When it feels challenging, knowing that someone else believes in you can make all the difference in the world because they will see your strengths when you when you’re overfocusing on everything you can do better.
Interests and hobbies outside of mathematics
Chatting with other maths enthusiasts, badminton, listening to music, losing the game, making the smallest origami cranes humanly possible and playing board/card games.
Amber Li – Year 11, Pymble Ladies’ College NSW
Previous achievements in Mathematics
- Gold medal, EGMO 2024.
- IMO Honourable Mention 2024.
What excites you about mathematics?
The depth of mathematical knowledge and the fact that there is an endless amount of mathematics to be discovered and constructed.
Advice to other young women wanting to challenge themselves
Don’t be afraid to fail, because everyone needs to fail before they succeed, and have faith in what you can achieve with perseverance. Also, STEM (even pure mathematics) presents a huge range of opportunities and career choices – it is well worth giving it a shot.
Plans/goals after school
I’m planning to study maths at university and hope to go into research, either pure or applied.
Interests and hobbies outside of mathematics
Debating, fencing, badminton, biology, and reading.
Olivia Sun – Year 10, Lauriston Girls’ School
- Silver medal, ASC 2024.
- Gold medal, ASC 2023
- Gold medal, AMO 2024
- Peter O’Halloran Award and Cheryl Praeger Award at the Australian Mathematics Competition, 2022 and 2023.
What excites you about mathematics?
I like how there is always an answer, and yet, multiple ways of achieving it. I also love the creative aspects of maths, forming different ideas and then testing them; I love how you can suddenly understand the problem.
Advice to other young women wanting to challenge themselves
Just go for it. There will always be people willing to support you if you choose to put in the effort down this path. Nobody is the same, and neither are their journeys, so don’t feel intimidated and believe in yourself, even when you feel stuck.
What are you looking forward to at EGMO
I’m (nervously) excited to participate in the EGMO for the first time and will hopefully do my best. I look forward to spending time with the team, as well as hopefully meeting people from other teams
Interests and hobbies outside of mathematics
I love to read whenever I have time. In particular, I like the fantasy and crime genres. I also play netball at school, which is an interest I share with a lot of my friends.
Zihui Zhang – Year 12, Clayfield College
- Gold medal, ASC 2023 and 2024
- Gold medal AMO 2024
What excites you about mathematics?
It’s challenging.
Advice to other young women wanting to challenge themselves
Believe in yourself and put efforts in to achieve what you desire.
What are you looking forward to at EGMO
To meet girls passionate about math around the world.
Plans/goals after school
Contribute to the advancement of mathematics