A 16-year-old student from the University of the Philippines (UP) Rural High School won as the country’s sudoku grandmaster for the second straight year.
Candice Renee Beatrice Solidarios, a Grade 11 UPRHS student, bested 35 other regional winners in the Grandmaster category and took home P60,000 in the national finals of the 11th Philippine Sudoku Super Challenge (PSSC), organized by the Mathematics Trainers Guild Philippines (MTG) and SM Supermalls, held at SM City North EDSA’s Skydome on January 28. She won as sudoku grandmaster last year.
To prepare for the sudoku contest, Solidarios said, "I practiced about two to three hours a day."
"I dedicate my win to my parents, family and God," she said at the awarding ceremony.
Solidarios was followed by Ralph Joshua Sarrosa, who won first runner-up and P40,000; Errol John Suarez, Aquinas University of Legazpi, second runner-up, P20,000; Gerrick Spencer Limsiy, Grace Christian College, third runner-up; and Alec Pius Machacon, University of San Carlos, fourth runner-up.
The winners and prizes in other categories are:
Sudoku Wizard (For High School Students)
Champion (P50,000) – Vicente Raphael Chan, Zamboanga Chong Hua High School
First runner-up (P30,000) – Jonathan Conrad Yu, Philippine Christian Gospel School
Second runner-up (P20,000) – John Joseph Gabata, Dr. Yanga’s College Foundation
Third runner-up – Romeo Dane Melendrez, Regional Science High School III
Fourth runner-up – Kirsten Dominique Chan, Bayanihan Institute
Sudoku Whiz Kid (For Elementary Students)
Champion (P20,000) – Enzo Rafael Chan, Bayanihan Institute
First runner-up (P10,000) – Louisa Jean Cabugao, Akle Elementary School
Second runner-up (P5,000) – Kyn Achilles Maligsay, Immaculate Concepcion Academy
Third runner-up – Desiree Regine Go, Philippine Christian Gospel School
Fourth runner-up – Renise Lim, Cebu Eastern College
The sudoku winners will represent the country in the the 2017 World Sudoku Championships in India and 11th BRAND’s Sudoku Thailand International Open, according to MTG president Dr. Isidro Aguilar.
Simultaneously held in the same venue during the sudoku competition was the inaugural 1st MTG-SHARP-SM Family Math Quest national finals where parent-child tandems solved mathematical problems as a team.
The winners are:
Grade 1 Division
Champion – Ronaldo So and Reilyn So, St. Jude Catholic School
First runner-up – Celie Kristen and Marlyn Mercado, Lyndale Academy
Second runner-up – Matt Justin and Geoffrey Sy, St. Jude Catholic School
Grade 2 Division
Champion – Jeric and Yuan Jericho Tizon, Calbayog East Central School
First runner-up – Sherwin and Myles Spencer Uy, Philippine Cultural College-Main
Second runner-up – Ivy Rozina and Xavier Blue Castro, St. John’s Institute
