Romanian Students Win Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals at the 2026 International Mathematical Olympiad, Led by Associate Professor Cătălin-Liviu Gherghe, PhD, Dean of the University of Bucharest’s Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science

Romania’s national mathematics team has once again achieved outstanding results at the 67th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), held in Shanghai, China, winning one gold medal, three silver medals, and two bronze medals. The competition took place between 10 and 21 July 2026 and brought together 666 contestants from more than 120 countries.

As in previous years, the Romanian team was led by Associate Professor Cătălin-Liviu Gherghe, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Bucharest, together with Assistant Professor Mihai Chiș from the Faculty of Computer Science at the West University of Timișoara, and Lucian Țurea, a former IMO medallist, alumnus of the University of Bucharest’s Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, and representative of the Romanian Mathematical Sciences Society (SSMR).

The Romanian students who earned medals at the 2026 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) are:

• David-Vlad Mărghidan, a student at the International Computer High School of Bucharest, who won the gold medal.
• Alexandru Ardelean, from “Onisifor Ghibu” National College in Oradea, Radu Ionuț-Stoleriu, a student at “Emil Racoviță” National College in Iași, and David Ghibu, from the International Computer High School of Bucharest, who each won silver medals.
• Emanuel Mazăre, from “Alexandru Odobescu” National College in Pitești, Argeș County, and Andrei Vila, a student at the International Computer High School of Bucharest, who were awarded bronze medals.

The official medal ceremony took place on Monday, 20 July, in Shanghai, while the Romanian delegation returned home on 21 July.

Romania has consistently achieved excellent results at the International Mathematical Olympiad in recent years. At the 66th IMO, held in Australia in 2025, the Romanian team won two gold medals, three silver medals, and one bronze medal. At the 65th IMO, hosted by the United Kingdom in 2024, the team led by Associate Professor Cătălin-Liviu Gherghe earned one gold medal, four silver medals, and one bronze medal.

Associate Professor Cătălin-Liviu Gherghe: Mentor to Romania’s Top Young Mathematicians

Over the past several years, Associate Professor Cătălin-Liviu Gherghe has been one of the key mentors guiding Romania’s national mathematics teams to outstanding performances at the International Mathematical Olympiad. A graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Bucharest in 1991, he earned his PhD in Mathematics in 1999 with the dissertation Harmonic Maps in Riemannian and Hermitian Manifolds, supervised by Professor Stere Ianuș.

In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Romania, Professor Gherghe noted that students who reach the highest levels of international mathematical competition possess not only exceptional dedication but also an innate aptitude for mathematics.

“Olympiad students, especially those at the very highest level, are different in one important respect: they possess an innate talent. No matter how hard a student works, not everyone can achieve the same level of performance as someone who also has that natural gift. That is the starting point. If a naturally gifted student studies for ten hours, and another student without that gift studies just as long, the difference has already been made.”

More information about the 2026 International Mathematical Olympiad in Shanghai is available on the competition’s official website, imo-official.org.