15-year-old is Philippines’ Sudoku Grandmaster
A 15-year-old student beat 21 other contenders to become the country’s Sudoku Grandmaster in the 4th Philippine Sudoku Super Challenge finals, held Saturday.
Sarah Jane Cua, a 3rd-year high school student of the Pangasinan Universal Institute, won the title after garnering the highest number of points in the Grandmaster division, a statement from the Mathematics Trainers Guild (MTG) said.
Dr. Simon Chua, president of contest organizer MTG-Philippines, said 118 students and professionals joined the contest in 3 categories: Sudoku Whiz Kid, Sudoku Wizard and Sudoku Grandmaster.
In the Grandmaster division, Cua garnered 1,601 points from 5 rounds to win the title and went home with P60,000 in cash prize and a trophy, the MTG said.
Other winners are Matthew Chris Chan (Manila), first runner-up; Mariel Alexis Dee (Metro Manila), second runner-up; Jayhan Regner (Cagayan de Oro City), third runner-up; and Frederick Ong (Bacolod City), fourth runner-up.
Cua is the reigning champion in the Grandmaster division. In 2008, she represented the Philippines and won the grand prize in the Brand’s Asia Pacific Open Sudoku contest held in Singapore.
Last year, John Robert Valcos, a student of St. Mary’s College in Bulacan; and Cua were declared champion and first runner-up, respectively, in the 3rd Brand’s Sudoku Thailand International Open 2009 Princess Somsawali Cup held in Bangkok.
In the Sudoku Wizard, Timothy James Tan (Bacolod) won first place and P50,000. First runner-up went to Sed Anderson Holaysan (Cebu City), and second runner-up was Ma. Czarina Angela Lao (Metro Manila). Ericson Ong of Olongapo City, and Kimberly Christine Decear of Zamboanga City completed the top five.
A total of 75 high school students competed in the division.
Ethan Riley Chan of Zamboanga City, on the other hand, emerged as champion in the Sudoku Whiz Kid and went home with P20,000. Other winners are: Magin Benedict Ferrer of Iloilo City, first runner-up; Lorenzo Jose Baquiran of Iloilo City, second runner-up; Kate Ann Adlaon of Lucena City, third runner-up; and Candice Renee Beatric Solidarios of Calamba City, fourth runner-up.
The chair of the board of jurors was Professor Maria Luisa Villano from the University of Santo Tomas.
The 4th Philippine Sudoku Super Challenge was organized by the MTG in cooperation with SM Supermalls, SHARP Calculators, SM Bowling, Phoenix Publishing, National Bookstore, DDB, Europa PR, and Ogilvy Philippines.
The finals were held Saturday at the SM City North EDSA Annex.
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