The team of Bulgaria achieved an astonishing success at the second European Junior Olympiad in Informatics eJOI 2018 in Innopolis, Russia. Andon Todorov, Viktor Kozhiharov, Georgi Petkov and Konstantin Kamenov brought to Bulgaria 2 gold, a silver and a bronze medal and took the prestigious second position in the team ranking.
In the delegation accompanying the team were their Team Leader Prof. Katalina Grigorova, Deputy Team Leader Peter Petrov, eJOI President Prof. Krassimir Manev, eJOI International Committee member Biserka Yovcheva and Musala Soft President and eJOI Board of Patrons member Elena Marinova.
“Our young talents not only justified but managed to surpass our expectations for excellent performance. We are utterly proud of the medals they won for Bulgaria – this give us a huge incentive to keep supporting them for even greater success in the future and proves that earlier IT education brings great results and competitive advantage. Their triumph is a brilliant example for everyone following their steps and a clear sign that our country is keeping its leading positions in competetive programming in Europe”, said Prof. Krassimir Manev, President of eJOI.
The medals were awarded at an official ceremony on July 31st attended by Andrey Pominov, first Deputy Prime Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kiril Semenikhin, Director of Innopolis University and Prof. Krassimir Manev, President of eJOI. “This month is Russia there were two major events – the world football cup and eJOI”, said in his speech Andrey Pominov.
The junior team defended and improved their success from eJOI in 2017. A year ago, at the first edition of the Olympiad, Andon Todorov and Konstantin Kamenov were silver medalists, while Viktor Kozhuharov and Georgi Petkov won bronze medals.
The second European Junior Olympiad in Infomrmatics eJOI 2018 was held between July 26th and August 1st at Innopolis Univeristy – the first higher education institution in Russia focused on high technologies and robotics. Teams of 21 countries members of the Council of Europe took part in eJOI 2018. There were two competitive days and the results could be followed live on the website of the Olympiad.
The opening ceremony was on July 27th. Seeches were delivered by the deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan and Minister of Information and Communication Roman Shaykhutdinov, Innopolis University Director Kiril Semenikhin and eJOI President Prof.Krassimir Manev.
besides a celebration of competitive programming, giving high-level recognition of young talents of Europe, the Olympiad again fulfilled its mission of being an exciting festival of friendship and youth. The contestants who arrived from different places in Europe, has the opportunity to touch the culture of Tatarstan, to see and experience traditional places and entertainment and create memories that will last for a lifetime.
During the free day between the two contest days the participants, their team leaders and delegates immersed into the the traditional for Tatar culture “sabantuy” feast (“saban”means plow, spring crops, field work and “tuy”means holiday). It is a feast of abundance and prosperity. There are athletics and horse races organized, also wrestling and arching competitions. It is an opportunity to demonstrate physical abilities but most of all it is a time to have fun. The young IT talents attended a matryoshka doll workshop and decorated their own traditional Russian wooden dolls. After the end of the second contest day, all participants, leaders and guests took a trip to the small island town of Sviyazhsk. A sightseeing tour of the city of Kazan was also organized for everyone and also a visit to a circus show.
The founders and initiators of eJOI – Prof. Krassimir Manev, Biserka Yovcheva, Alexey Hristov and Musala Soft President Elena Marinova are exceptionally happy that their dream not only became true in 2017 but is now turning into a tradition and writes new remarkable pages in the history of competitive programming in Europe.
Musala Soft is committed to initiating and supporting projects in the field of competitive programming. The company is among the top investors in IT education in Bulgaria. Since 2000, Musala Soft has organized the oldest and most elite private programming contest in Bulgaria – CodeIT.
