Boy keeps cool to win gold in Math duel

KUCHING: Winning a gold medal in an international mathematics competition was beyond what 10-year-old Najmi Asyraaf Halim had expected.

But he overcame the jitters to win gold in the Level 2 category of the 14th World Mathematics Competition in Manila, the Philippines, last week. Another Malaysian who won gold in the Level 4 category was Jad Haris Sabaruddin, 12.

Najmi said the five questions were hard but he kept his composure.

“I am happy with my achievement,” said the Year 4 pupil from SK Agama Datuk Haji Abdul Kadir Hassan here.

His father, quantity surveyor Abdul Halim Idris, said he broke down when Najmi was announced as the winner.

“Earlier, I told him not to expect anything but he should do his best and to gain experience. But, deep in my heart, I didn’t want him to walk away empty handed. I was expecting at least a silver or bronze.”

“When they announced his name for the top prize, that was when I cried.”

Halim said his son joined the Sakamoto Method programme for about half a year.

Jad Haris, who also trained in the same method for three years, said he had taken part in the competition twice before.