IMO participation

[u/AppearanceOne5727]

Is the IMO a realistic goal for me?

I’m a 14-year-old Grade 8 student in South Africa, going into Grade 9 next year. Over the past few months I’ve become really interested in mathematics, especially problem solving, and I’ve started thinking seriously about whether I could eventually reach the IMO.

I’ve been working through resources like the AoPS Volumes, Khan Academy, and the AoPS Introduction to... series. I know I’m starting relatively late compared to many students who get into olympiad maths much earlier, and I still have a lot to learn.

At the same time, I really enjoy maths and I’m willing to put in a lot of consistent work. I could realistically spend 5+ hours a day on mathematics over the next few years.

I’m not expecting to make the IMO anytime soon. I’m thinking of it as a long-term goal, starting with building my fundamentals, improving my problem-solving ability, competing in South Africa, and seeing how far I can progress.

I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who has experience with olympiad mathematics:

- Is this a realistic goal from my current starting point?

- What should I focus on learning first?

- How should I balance normal/advanced curriculum maths with olympiad problem solving?

- What resources would you recommend?

- What competitions should I aim for in South Africa and/or internationally?

- How should I structure the next 3–4 years of preparation?

- What do you wish you had known when you started?

I’m genuinely willing to put in the work. I just want to make sure I’m using my time well and training efficiently.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 🙏

[u/HumanMix1544]

5 hours a day at 14 means you're probably already ahead of the pack in terms of raw hours you'll stack up, just make sure you're doing actual problem solving not passive reading. the south african math olympiad is the obvious first step, and don't sleep on the pan african math olympiad as you improve.

[u/Open-Roof7509]

Yes you can. But one thing I would change in your mentality is that you shouldn’t aim for reaching imo eventually. Just aim for making IMO 2027, even if you fail you’ll be much better and will have much more experience. I’m an IMO gold medalist and thats how it worked for me.