Luke pictured with his bronze medal in Bulgaria

An Irish student clinched a bronze medal at the International Linguistics Olympaid in Bulgaria at the weekend.

Luke Gardiner (19) from Gonazaga College in Dublin, came third in the international problem-solving contest, which challenges students to test lateral thinking skills by decoding some of the world’s toughest problems in logic, language and linguistics.

Gardiner beat off stiff competition from 180 students from 29 countries to bring home a bronze medal.

The top four teenagers from the national All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad, run by the Science Foundation Ireland ADAPT Centre, attended a two-day problem-solving training camp at Dublin City University prior to their departure for Bulgaria.

Gardiner was joined on the team by Shmuel Barron (17) of Sutton Park School, Dublin, Ethan Hamman (18) of Newpark Comprehensive, Dublin, and Niamh Lynch (18) of Loreto College Letterkenny, Donegal.

Dr. Cara Greene of the ADAPT Centre, who led the Irish delegation noted that this is Ireland's first medal after seven years of competing in the contest.

"This makes Luke’s performance very noteworthy," she said.

Gardiner is planning to study Mathematics at university next year.

Online Editors