15-Year Old Black Girl, High School Senior Wins Global Math Competition

Nationwide — Faith Odunsi, a 15-year old Nigerian high school student, has won the 2021 Global Open Mathematics competition. She bested contestants from many countries around the world including the U.S., China, Australia, and others.

Odunsi excelled in all rounds of the competition and even got to answer more questions than her competitors in the final round. But she said she didn’t really think she would win. 

“I was already tense, so I just smiled. I was too anxious to dance. I was tense because it was a tough competition,” Odunsi told Punch.

Odunsi managed to win by a 30-point margin, setting a new record. She received a $1,000 prize for winning the contest.

Currently a senior high school student at the Ambassadors School in Ota Ogun State, she did not let the competition affect her academic activities. She prepared for the contest after class with her teacher who coached her and she also studied at night from 11 pm to 12 am.

She plans to someday study computer engineering in college.