The Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) announced on April 30 that Peruvian schoolgirls won top honors at the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) 2026, held from April 9 to 15 in Bordeaux, France. The Peruvian team competed against students from 65 countries and achieved first place under the leadership of Dr. Jesús Zapata, a PUCP professor and member of the Olimpiadas Matemáticas PUCP team.
This achievement highlights the role of rigorous training and sustained support provided by PUCP’s mathematics program. The university promotes cultural and social wellbeing by emphasizing contributions in education and research, according to the official website. Dhámaris Alarcón earned a gold medal while Faviana Esteban received bronze; Gianella Camacho and Joyce Matías completed the four-member delegation.
“I am very happy for this achievement. I wanted to represent my country again at EGMO and have the experience of meeting more women in mathematics,” said Dhámaris Alarcón, who also shared her ongoing preparation through previous competitions: “Since 2023 I started participating in the Pan-American Women’s Olympiad, which brings together Latin American countries, and now I had the opportunity to compete globally.”
Dr. Zapata explained how Peru’s national team is formed: “We make a national call, first virtually so all girls from Peru can participate. Then those who qualify come to the University for face-to-face tests. We not only evaluate but also conduct formative seminars and training sessions. After several weeks of work, we define the national team composed of four students and two lead teachers.” He added that professors play an essential role during international competitions as academic advocates for their students’ performance: “Our mission as lead teachers is to validate their performance… We act as their ‘lawyers,’ defending scores we believe they deserve.”
PUCP functions under its institutional framework with RUC 20155945860 according to its official website. The university highlights academic achievements via its news portal—which evolved from a printed magazine in 2005 into a digital platform offering multimedia content—drawing on expertise from professors like Dr. Zapata for both reporting successes such as these medals and addressing broader societal issues.
Looking ahead, PUCP will continue supporting participation in international math competitions throughout this year while launching new calls for future teams representing Peru at events like EGMO 2027. According to its official website, PUCP serves communities across Peru through academic contributions shared on its news outlet directed by Dirección de Comunicación Institucional.
