An extraordinary result for the Israeli team at the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO), held this week in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. Neta Ilani from Rehovot and Olga Basov from Haifa won gold medals and ranked among the top 11 competitors out of 219 participants from 56 countries. Two more team members—Maayan Ravid and Maya Cohen of Tel Aviv—received honorable mentions for their strong performances.
The Israeli team’s achievements
Neta Ilani – from Rehovot, a 12th-grade student at De Shalit High School, ranked fifth globally. She is a member of Israel’s national teams in physics and computer science and an alumna of the Young Israeli Science Team.
Olga Basov – from Haifa, an 11th-grade student at Ironi G High School, ranked 11th worldwide.
Maayan Ravid – from Tel Aviv, a 12th-grade student at HaKfar HaYarok School, received an honorable mention. She is an alumna of the Young Israeli Science Team and a current member of Israel’s biology team.
Maya Cohen – from Tel Aviv, an 11th-grade student at HaKfar HaYarok School, also earned an honorable mention. She is an alumna of the Young Israeli Science Team and now serves on Israel’s computer science team.
Ten years of Israeli participation in EGMO
The prestigious Olympiad spans two days of competition, with participants solving advanced-level problems in algebra, geometry, combinatorics, and number theory.
Israel has taken part in the European Olympiad for ten consecutive years. This year’s delegation was trained at the Weizmann Institute of Science by Prof. Dmitry Novikov and coach Lev Radziwillovsky, under the guidance of delegation head Yarden Modai, Shira Ben Dor, and Dr. Dan Carmon. The training program was led by the Ministry of Education and the Future Scientists Center of the Maimonides Fund.
“The sky is not the limit when there is passion and determination”
Minister of Education Yoav Kisch congratulated the team on their success: “This is not only a personal achievement for the girls but also a reflection of the Israeli spirit, which places excellence at the forefront. These four brilliant young women proudly represent Israel—they show how the right support, perseverance, and vision can reach global heights. You are an inspiration to us all.”
Director General of the Ministry of Education, Meir Shimoni, added: “I salute the four students—Neta, Olga, Maayan, and Maya—for your dedication, curiosity, and exceptional drive that brought you to the top. You are a powerful educational model that inspires us and reinforces our commitment to keep investing and believing.”
Prof. Alon Chen, President of the Weizmann Institute of Science, also praised the team: “The impressive achievements of the girls at the European Mathematical Olympiad show the power of combining excellence, curiosity, and a hunger for knowledge. Neta, Olga, Maayan, and Maya not only solved complex mathematical problems—they proved that the sky is not the limit when there is passion and determination.”
