Gabriela and her passion for mathematics
Gabriela Arcia Martínez a 16 years old student ,already boasts a silver medal, which she won at the 5th Pan American Mathematics Olympiad for Girls (PAGMO), Brazil 2025.
She is an eleventh-grade student at the Eusebio Olivera Pre-University Vocational Institute of Exact Sciences (IPVCE) in Sancti Spíritus, the school that has nurtured her passion for mathematics and helped her achieve her dreams.
What was that moment of the test like?
To be honest, I took it in a relaxed manner. They gave me four and a half hours to complete the test, and they put a clock in front of me, which did make me tense because every time I looked up, I saw that clock ticking down the time I had left.
The exam was difficult, but I had prepared and was able to concentrate. Imagine, when I saw the three questions, I tried to do number one, which I managed to finish after about two hours, which relieved me a bit. Then I was even happy because I thought, “At least I have 7 points somewhere,” and immediately I started working on questions two and three until the clock stopped ticking.
The event was very well organized; it was a large room full of tables, and each one was labeled with the name of the country competing.
How many exams did you have to take?
There were two. The next day I had to take another one. It’s very difficult to separate what you do on the first day from what you can do on the second. I was more nervous for the second one because I had already heard other people’s solutions to the exercises, and I kept thinking, “But I didn’t say that.” Anyway, they are very tense moments, but also a great learning experience. And then came the wait to find out the results, another moment that keeps one under less pressure, but still, you’re anxious to know.
What did you feel when they gave you the results?
That day was very long. They announced the results almost at four in the afternoon. They spent an hour and a half speaking in Portuguese before finally announcing them.
The four of us were there, holding hands. They started calling out names; first Lía’s, then Gretel’s, who won bronze medals, and then came the silver medal. They kept calling out name after name, and the last one was mine. When they said Gabriela Arcia Martínez, I couldn’t believe it, but my heart at that moment beat stronger than ever.
It was a very emotional moment, tremendous joy. I went up with the Cuban flag, which, by the way, I even put up backwards; I was very nervous.
What did PAGMO 2025 hold for you?
A lot. I grew in knowledge, met and made new friends with girls from other countries. That exchange of cultures and dances was beautiful. I met girls from Brazil, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. We exchanged phone numbers and email addresses to stay in touch and maintain the friendship we formed during the competition. All in all, a very nice experience.
