Kazakhstan Claims Six Medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Shanghai
Kazakhstan’s national team, led by the President of Kazakh-American University (KAU), secured six medals at the 2026 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).
Held in Shanghai, China, the prestigious academic contest brought together representatives from 117 countries. The Kazakh school students competed against some of the world’s most talented young problem-solvers and delivered an impressive performance, claiming three silver and three bronze awards.
Batyrkhan Beiganov, Timur Murat and Ali Yerkebulanuly received silver honours, while Yerasyl Altynbek, Amirlan Amanzholov and Margulan Sharel secured bronze.
The delegation was headed by KAU President Assylbek Issakhov, who has overseen the country’s participation in major global mathematics contests, including the IMO and the Balkan Mathematical Olympiad (BMO), since 2022.
Under his leadership, Kazakhstan’s rising academic talents have consistently demonstrated strong results. At the 2025 IMO in Australia, the delegation also returned home with six awards. In 2026, Kazakh participants won gold at the Balkan Mathematical Olympiad and placed among the six highest-ranked groups out of 24 participating nations.
“Every achievement of this kind represents far more than an award. It reflects years of dedication, countless hours spent solving problems that may initially seem impossible, and the moment when all that hard work finally pays off. I am proud of each of these six young people. They competed alongside the world’s strongest school-level problem-solvers and demonstrated their ability to tackle challenges of the highest complexity,” Assylbek Issakhov noted.
Supporting gifted school students is one of KAU’s key priorities. Each year, the University provides full-tuition scholarships to prize-winners of leading global academic contests. In 2026, all six members of the Kazakh IMO delegation who received distinctions were offered the opportunity to continue their education at KAU. The university emphasised that such initiatives not only broaden educational opportunities for talented youth but also contribute to cultivating a new generation of highly skilled professionals and strengthening the country’s future intellectual potential.
