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Two Turkish teenagers outperformed nearly 1,000 competitors from around the world to win gold and silver medals at the World Mathematics Invitational (WMI) 2026 World Final in Tokyo.
Atlas Haser, 13, from Istanbul, won a gold medal, while Mehmet Aras Bascifci, 15, from Eskisehir, won silver.
Haser, a seventh-grade student at a private school in Istanbul, won his fourth WMI gold medal. He said he first learned of WMI through the Kangaroo Mathematics Türkiye-International Mathematics Competition and has since taken part in mathematics competitions, olympiads, and other science and technology contests.
The WMI written exam consists of 25 questions, including 15 multiple-choice and 10 open-ended questions, Haser said. He noted that he does not prepare specifically for the WMI because his practice for other competitions and for TUBITAK, Türkiye's national science and technology research council, already covers similar material.
Haser said his current goal is to succeed in the TUBITAK competition process. Having passed the first stage, he will next advance to the second stage and subsequent team selection, aiming to either win a medal or secure a spot on the national team. He cited Baris Koyuncu, a four-time International Mathematical Olympiad medalist now studying at Oxford, as a role model he looks up to. Haser is also preparing for next year's high school entrance exams.
Haser's father, Murat Haser, said his son learned to read and began making calculations before age five, and started competing in mathematics competitions in second grade. He said his son has since won about 80 medals and certificates and receives support from science and art centers affiliated with Türkiye's Ministry of National Education, as well as from the Istanbul Science Olympiads, while also preparing for TUBITAK exams.
Bascifci, a 10th-grade student at a private science high school in Eskisehir, said he prepared for the competition by solving questions from previous WMI finals, with additional support from his school's mathematics teachers on olympiad-level topics. He said his interest in mathematics grew significantly during middle school, and that regular study and support from his teachers helped him prepare for the competition. He said he plans to compete in next year's WMI World Final and aims to reach a higher ranking.
Esra Celik, WMI's Türkiye representative, said the competition is organized by a Taiwan-based international organization and that its World finals have been held in different Asian countries since 2013, with this year's edition held in Tokyo.
She said the competition consists of advanced mathematics questions prepared at an olympiad level. Celik said WMI certificates carry international recognition and can strengthen students' academic portfolios when applying to universities abroad.
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