La Jolla student shines in World Mathematics Team Championship

Martin Valkanov, a student at San Diego French-American School in La Jolla, followed up his successful creation of an eco-friendly sunscreen by winning a silver award in the World Mathematics Team Championship in early December in Bangkok, Thailand.

The competition assembled student mathematicians from around the globe, including four representatives of the United States. The students competed in individual, team and relay performance categories.

Martin, an eighth-grader who is a member of the UC San Diego-based San Diego Math Circle, was selected to Team USA based on his success in other math competitions.

Though Martin captured silver in the individual category, he felt some pressure, he said.

“We had, I think, an hour for 23 questions and they were weighted differently, so there was kind of pressure [where] I have to solve the harder problems and not mess up on those,” he recalled.

“The problems were kind of easy from the beginning, but then … got a little harder later on. Especially with the time ticking down, I was kind of nervous. But I think I did pretty well, given the circumstances.”

Martin and his father, Rossen, spent about a week in Thailand, sightseeing along with attending the competition and closing ceremony. Some of the highlights, Martin said, were seeing temples and eating traditional Thai food.

The World Mathematics Team Championship was the biggest competition he’s participated in, but his sights are set on more.

After participating in the Mathematical Association of America’s American Math Competition 10, or AMC 10, in November, Martin qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Exam, or AIME,  coming up in February.

According to MAA, the AMC 10 is “a 25-question, 75-minute, multiple-choice competition designed for students in grades 10 and below.” Students who perform “exceptionally well” in the AMC 10 are invited to compete in the 15-question, three-hour AIME.

“Last year I worked really hard and I barely missed it,” Martin said. “This year I worked even harder and I’m really proud that I had a double qualification for [AMC 10] and AIME.”

Martin previously won a first award in the junior division in biomedical/health sciences and biomedical engineering at the 2025 Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair in March for his sunscreen project, which ditched chemicals he views as harmful to coral reefs, fish and other aquatic organisms in favor of ocean-sourced ingredients such as kelp and algae. The creation was named one of the top 12 in the competition.

That helped him get a certificate of recognition in May from state Sen. Steve Padilla (D-Chula Vista).

Though the sunscreen project showcased Martin’s creative side, his mother, Yuliya, said math has always been his biggest passion.

“[In] his early years, we were kind of helping him, directing him and trying to train him,” she said. “Now he just took off completely on his own and he’s very self-motivated and self-driven. I’m very proud of how much he’s worked on his own this [past] year after he set the goal for himself that he wants to qualify for the AIME competition. It’s kind of the steppingstone on the pathway to the International Math Olympiad, which is the biggest event in the world for student mathematicians.

“He’s been working tirelessly, waking himself up [early], even during summer breaks. … By the time we wake up, he’s already in his room working.”