Every year about 90 countries send teams of their six best high school students to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad, a grueling mathematics competition in which contestants sit two exams of four and a half hours each over two days solving a total of six problems. Needless to say, these problems are of an exceedingly high level of difficulty and coming up with solutions requires exceptional ingenuity and mathematical ability.

In this issue we speak to a young mathematician with an enviable reputation in the IMO. In 2001 Peter McNamara became the first Australian to ever win two gold medals in IMO competitions. He is one of the select few who have been to three IMOs (he obtained a bronze medal in his first appearance). In this issue of Paradox, we interview Peter to find out what makes him tick.

Peter enjoys a game of table tennis in the MIT basement at 2am

got some time for an interview for paradox?

For the record, what is your full name?

Peter James McNamara

Is there any significance to your name?

..like were you named after anyone famous?

Not that I know of.

What is your favourite colour?

I don’t have a favourite colour. It used to be red because I was in red faction at primary school.

So… Peter… tell us… why are you in Melbourne?

A Holiday? I have to physically be somewhere don’t I?

Are you enjoying this holiday?

Yes, Melbourne is a nice city to be in, even if it can get a little cold at times.

Ok… moving right along… Tell us about your educational background

Well I finished a science degree with honours in Mathematics at the University of Sydney in 2005. Prior to that, I was at school in Perth.

Ok, while you were growing up, did you have any heroes? Y’know, somone who you really looked up to and who inspired you?

I don’t think I ever really looked up to any heroes.

what was primary and secondary school like for you? Did you find it very easy or very difficult?

I usually found myself on top of things at school, there weren’t many difficulties. I don’t know if that says more about me or about the educational system though.

well then, I know that you know that I know this, but tell the loyal readers of paradox – what are your plans for the immediate future? (education-wise)

Many readers of paradox will also already know this, but I’m off to MIT to pursue a PhD in pure mathematics, starting Septermber 2006.

Ah… what exactly made you pick MIT?

Well, they are a good university. Being in close proximity to Harvard was also an attracting factor, since the two universities have arrangements where you can do classes at either, and even be supervised by faculty members from the other university. It also helps that I have a couple of friends in Boston too.

sounds like a good deal, what are your plans (if indeed you have any) for when you return to Australia (if indeed you plan to do so)?

I don’t actually have any plans for that time, it is currently a long way into the future and I’m sure a lot will happen between now and then.

I won’t forget about the readers of Paradox though.

Ok, now for people who are considering a similar course of study, was the process of getting into and organising to go to MIT a difficult one? Are there any common pitfalls that one should avoid?

I can only speak about entry into US universities, but if someone wants to go to the united states to study, they’re going to have to start seriously looking into the entire application procedure a good twelve months in advance. The actual applications are due in about 8-9 months in advance, and there are some required tests which must be completed prior to that.

Make sure you’re organised and know all the key dates.

ok… now onto the topic which I think all of our readers really want to hear about… the IMO. Tell us about your first experience at the IMO

Well the IMO was a big event. I guess the first experience was arriving off the plane in Romania and meeting our guide, if I want to be pedantic.

, Alina.

was she hot?

Trust you to ask that Daniel. I’ve only got pictures in Perth, so I can’t get you to judge for yourself.

oh well… moving right along…

Do any IMOs stand out as your ‘favourites’?

Well being in Romania was really enjoyable. It was well organised, all the students were staying in the one building, which is best for the social side of things, and Europe is a great place to visit.

Do you have any stand-out memorable moments from any of the IMOs? interesting games or pranks?

In Romania we managed to steal a stuffed kiwi from the New Zealanders, which was their mascot, and ended up going to the room above them (occupied by the neutral swiss) and hanging (with our best approximation to a noose) the unfortunate flightless bird from their window to dangle outside the Kiwi’s.

I guess with Cheeseman around in Romania, that is the most likely time for pranks

we all know that you were the first australian to ever win two gold medals at the IMO… when you found out that you had won your second, did you have any special feelings of exhiliration… or was it just “oh yeah, that’s pretty cool”?

Well it was a good feeling to have done so well. I knew I had done well in the exam and was looking at a gold medal that year so it wasn’t really a suprise when I eventually heard the results. It still was great to have managed to be the first from this country to achieve such a feat.

did you ever feel alot of pressure… representing Australia and all?

I don’t remember feeling under much pressure. It was a fun time, and yes there were nerves around but I tended to cope with those allright. Perhaps the chant of “Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi” we made before each exam helped calm the nerves.

I’ve heard that after your third IMO’s closing ceremony you got to meet another famous past Australian IMO representative – Terry Tao. What was that like?

It was a bit like “um, I don’t really know what to say”. All I can really remember is shaking his hand and getting my photo taken with him.

what do you feel is the most important thing you took out of the IMO?

Oh, that’s a hard question. The sort of things that one takes out are generally intangible things, such as appreciation of mathematics and culture, memories and friendships. On the tangible side, that is where the game of gluck got introduced into MUMS circles from.

Ok, lightening up a little… Has your mathematical reputation and/or ability ever been useful in a real-life situation such as picking up at a nightclub? getting good seats at the football?

Us mathematicians unfortunately don’t get the rock star treatment at night clubs, or the corporate connections to get good tickets to the footy, though it’s probably about time that we did!

I have come across people knowing about my mathematical feats before i knew them though.

now, on the flip side of that, have you ever felt the need (for social reasons or otherwise) to conceal your mathematical abilities?

Well I’m not really that good at maths anyway. My differential geometry is terrible. I don’t go around shouting out that I’m a good mathematician though, that would be a case of hubris.

while we’re on the topic of maths… do you have a favourite theorem or lemma?

I don’t have a favourite theorem or lemma. It’s more the beautiful proofs that attract my appreciation.

any particularly beautiful proofs which stand out?

off the top of my head, I can think of a couple of number theoretic proofs which stand out – a topological proof of the infinity of primes, and a bizarre involution proof of the two squares theorem, both of which are in “proofs from the book” incidentally.

where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

apart from having a phd, given that i couldn’t say anything about what i’d do after that, i guess all i can restrict myself to is that i shall be somewhere on the surface of this planet.

have you ever felt pressured to pursue mathematics at uni and/or as a career, or have your choices so far in that regard been entirely your own?

I’ve always chosen myself what I’ve wanted to study and pursue.

Do you have any regrets, mathematical or otherwise?

I don’t think it is possible to live a life without having any regrets at all.

so can you pinpoint one or two which stand out in your mind?

I don’t really know if I could give a fully honest answer to a question like that. Maybe when I am an old codger and it no longer matters to me what reaction I get when leaking information then I’d open up more.

I did make an elementary mistake in the inaugural final of the PI chess tournament which I never recovered from

If you weren’t about to go to MIT to do a PhD, what do you think you would be doing instead?

If I wasn’t doing maths, then I don’t know what I’d be doing. If I still was doing maths, then I’d be doing a PhD at either Melbourne Uni or ANU. Probably after an overseas holiday.

tell us about your interests and hobbies outside of maths

I’m a keen follower and player of cricket and football, probably a better footballer than cricketer, despite my size. I haven’t been able to play cricket for a couple of years though because of frequent summer interstate travel. I guess that is a sacrifice of living interstate.

I also enjoy playing good games; pool, diplomacy, bartog, chess (when I’m not in the mood that it is a mathematically trivial deterministic game), gluck to name a few.

what is your favourite board game?

diplomacy, by a fair margin.

If you knew that the world was going to end in exactly 48 hours and there was nothing you could do about it, what would you do with the remaining time you had?

Well I’d have to work really hard to prove the Riemann Hypothesis then. If I had any spare time, then it would be off to work on the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture.

Do you have a favourite band?

It changes over time. I’ve actually tended to like bands from Western Australia, such as Jebediah, Eskimo Joe, Little Birdy and Fourth Floor Collapse. Oh, and there is that recent discovery of mine, The Klein Four.

Favourite food?

Cake

Preferably a chocolatey cake, with a dash of liqueur

do you have a favourite TV show?

I like Coupling (the first three seasons) and Family Guy. Being part of the Simpsons generation, the early Simpsons episodes can never be discounted either. I don’t actually watch that many shows on TV though.

favourite film(s)?

Not sure if there is a standout there, but I’ll throw up a few names to be a good sport. The Ring, Kill Bill 1.

now one for the ladies out there reading this interview – are you single?

Isn’t that well known around MUMS? The answer is no. Actually the readership of Paradox would be predominantly male, so in a bid to attract more female readers, perhaps consideration could be given to interviewing some eligible mathematical bachelors for future issues.

…and finally, what is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

A European or an African swallow?

I don’t know that!

ok, thanks very much for the interview Peter, lastly… do you have any questions for me?

No worries mate,

Shouldn’t you have been hurled into an abyss with that last statement though?

how do you know I wasn’t?

I can see you.

D’oh… [interview ends]

Ok, lets get started, for the record what is your full name?
Full name? Luca Presti

Ok, tell me a little bit about yourself, where were you born? where did you go to school?
I was born in Sicily on the 29th of April 1980. I went to school until I was 18 years old, and after… I always stay with the skating

So did you skate much when you were young?
I skated, just skating… then afterwards I changed my life, I moved to Venice, I married last year, I had a child, a boy

Ok, what’s your favourite food?
Food? My wife always makes good food for me… so… I like spaghetti, that is my top food, spaghetti

Do you have a favourite colour?
Ah… I like, umm… yellow. Yes, yellow and blue

What kind of music do you listen to?
Music? Oh, I listen to Italian music, and after… I listen to anything. But first, Italian music

Ok, so how long have you actually been skating for?
I have been skating for 20 years, when I start I was… very small.

So, how did you start skating? How did you get into the sport?
I remember, when I was very very small, five years old, I raced… I won my first race it was… er… 100m. I remember, when I arrived at the finish line, there were many people at the finish line together. I did not know where I could go past, because all the people at the finish line were very close… and I crashed.

Ok, how many world championships have you won?
I have… um… 5, 5 titles, 5 individual ones and one relay

Wow, and how many years have you skated for Italy?
I started in ’98 and every year, I went until 2004. Every year, I got better. Always better.

Ok, so have you always been very good, or did you find it very hard before you could win races?
Ah, well, when I was 18, 17 years old I win, I came second, I came third. When I was 18, I won all. Then after this, I went to senior and I came third, second… I won one time. When I was 20, two times, 21 three times. Each year, with each year that passed, I always win more

Ok, your 300m time trial. Your track time trial from last year’s world championships, which you won. I must have watched it a thousand times. You make it look so easy, how do you do it?
oh, the 300m, it was a surprise for me. My coach… er… at world championships, you are only allowed two skaters per team (per event). I was the third for the time trial. But, in the test in italy before world championships, I win. So coach said, “Luca, you race because you win the test in the clinic.” So I race, I win. I am very happy for this. I don’t think I can win, so this is a surprise for me. I am very very happy.

So when you were skating, what goes through your head? What are you thinking about?
I was thinking, “I need to win the race for my coach”. Because the coach said “I put you in the race – you win”. I listened to him, I raced for him. After the race, he said to me “thank you”.

During last year’s world championships, there was alot of talk on the internet and off, about drugs in skating.
Well, after my race, I did the anti-doping test. So I think people can say nothing about me. Why people say this, I don’t know, I don’t know what’s the problem

No, not you Luca, but other people. Do you think that there are other people in the sport who take drugs?
No, I think not. I think that our sport is clean… well, I hope it is

Ok, onto a lighter topic. Can you remember, in your life, any events which really changed you?
Well, the change in my life… umm… when I moved to Venice from Sicily, when I married, when I had my baby. That really changed my life. Also, before… I was training with my father, now I skate on a professional team. Its very very different

What do you think of Bill Begg as a coach?
Well, last year, there were a few problems with the team… with stuff, but this year, I look at thim and he is… smiling, relaxed. I think this will be good this year.

Do you think he’s a good coach?
Yeah yeah, sure.

Now, looking back on your life, do you have any regrets?
No no, I never think about this in my life. If I do something… not so good, I think – “well, this is life”. No, no regret

Is there anyone alive/dead, skating/non-skating who you look at as a role model?
I think, er… where I am now, I am young… er… my brother (Massimiliano Presti). My head, is always for skating, I always look for things in skating so… I look to my brother. When he arrived in senior, he won, so I want to do like my brother. I want to be like him, maybe… better

of course, so who would you say was the biggest influence on your life?
My father, definitely. When I was little, in Sicily, my father at 6 o’clock would come to me in bed and say “Luca, Luca, go skating”, always. In Sicily, in the day, it is very hot. In the winter, there is never ice on the roads, you can skate all year. After skating one hour, we come back, get changed and go to school.

Wow, every day?
No, no, not every day. Maybe 3 or 4 times a week. I remember then, I used to think “Oh s**t”, but now I think “Oh, its good” because I never get up early… if my father calls me, I go, if not, I stay in bed.

Do you have any hobbies or do any sports other than skating?
I just… er, sometimes I go on my bicycle. I hobbies… er… internet, electronics.

Ok, now… how many Koalas do you have? You know, those little Koala clips…
Hahaha… why you ask me this?

Because, some people on the Australian team tell me that you always ask for one
yeah yeah, I say “hey, Koala for my sister?”

Do you really have a sister?
Yes, one. I always say “hey, do you have a Koala for my sister” and sometimes the Australian man say “I already gave one to you” so I say “ok, I have another sister”. I probably have 15 Koalas

So, does your sister actually have any Koalas?
Yes, one. Hahaha… I have 14.

What do you want to do after you finish skating?
Oh, later we will go to Italy to do a test to be in the police. Umm… its like police, like… er… national service. The federation helps you get into that after skating, but first you still have to pass the test. But its good that they help me in this, because in this sport, you don’t have a long time. You maybe go until 30, maximum… maybe a little more

If the world were to end tomorrow, what would you do with your time?
Oh… this question is very very difficult… very very difficult. I would… stay on a little island, with my wife. What do you think? Drive a Ferrari?

Hmm.. I don’t know what I would do. That is a difficult question. Finally, do you have any questions for me?

How old are you?
I’m 23

Where are you from?
I’m from… I grew up in Hong Kong, when I was 14, I came to Australia. My parents used to live in Australia, so they wanted me to go to school here

Oh, you live here. ok

Well, thank you very much for the interview, and good luck in the race tomorrow
Thats ok, I’m sorry… I hope you understand what I say, my English is not so good. So, you work for Bont?

No, I just write for my website and I skate…
Do you skate?

Yes, I skate
Will you race tomorrow?

yes, I will race tomorrow, I’ll be racing you

(there is a concerned look on Luca’s face). Oh no, don’t worry about me, I’m a sprinter…
oh, you are a sprinter?

yes, not a very good sprinter
oh, ok…

Mick collects his silver medal for the 1000m at 2003 World Championships in Venezuela

ok, first of all, for the record, what is your full name?
Michael Adam Byrne

ok, tell me a bit about yourself. Where did you attend primary school, high school etc. and what did you study at uni?
Eltham east primary school, northeast melbourne, australia Eltham high school, same, Melbourne University – bachelor of planning and design

what kind of food do you like?
hmmm, i like…king prawns, creamy pastas without too much cream, italian pizza & margheritas pizza, salads, chicken with avocado in any form, bul-go-gi beef (korean) …it’s beef sliced thin as paper, and cooked super hot in with vegetables and stock made of tea

jeez mick, I’m running out of margin space to write all this, is that margherita the place or the type of pizza?
the place

ok, do you have a favourite colour?
I’d have to say black right now – cos all our team casual gear is black! Love my reds and yellows

cool… name your three favourite musical bands
hmmm, hard one, they are pretty transient (long pause), live

(i’m just getting warmed up)
um, the darkness, definitely, and…

good choices so far (in my opinion)
hmmm…. and for 3… (long pause)

look, if you can’t think of one, I’ll just write justin timberlake to be controversial…
i’m actually listening to a bit of work with Dre’s collaboration lately

lets step back into some easier territory now. How long have you been skating for?
21 years, ew, that WAS easy!

how did you get into skating?
rink opened in eltham, older brother (rohan) started doing night sessions there

whatever happened to rohan?
yeah, um… busy with high school hsc, not so much skating… got into football, then uni

ok. what kept you coming back?
saw people flying, looked so cool, had a great sound of wheels on floor, smiling faces, people going fast and looking effortless (pauses)

I remember a girl I saw, very ‘street and hip’ back in the day – I was prob 8-9 and she 15-16, and she was FLYING on a sunday night, I just HAD to be able to do that

do you think inlines, and the accompanying diminishing of the “sound” has taken any of that away?
no, by the time that happened it seemed a little disappointing, but i was so enthralled by the technical side by then… i was on a mission

ok. Now, have the lessons you’ve learnt in skating been applied to things outside skating or vice versa?
both ways, I’ve had a pretty long career to date so i have seen things in my ‘outside’ life come across and help me in my skating, and definitely vice versa.

Handling pressure, meeting deadlines, handling myself professionally, being approachable, planning and design skills, analytical skills, committment to long-term goals.

can you give any examples?
as well as things that have happened in outside life that have given me perspective on my skating – like Shaun’s life.

seizing the moment, believing in yourself in whatever you do

what is your most immediate short-term goal? (doesn’t have to be skating related)
most immediate – basel WIC

I’m living skating right now, so the next meet is the next goal… although yesterday it was waking up this morning to go to the gym, that was a goal that took some attaining!

any particular reason why, in that instance?
hard training this week. A lot of things to do yesterday that had be leave the house at 7am, train, again at 9, then wasnt back until 7 this morning

long day…
very

how about your most immediate long term goal? (again, doesn’t have to be skating related, although it probably will be)
most immediate long term is the world championships

how do your parents feel about your career choice so far?
hmmm… my parents both want to see me secure in my future, but they have different ideals when it comes to what is most important in that regard though.

I’m doing what makes me happy right now, something i can totally apply myself to, see the ‘fruits of my labour’, and that allows me the freedom and means to live a life many people only dream about.

Based on where i am today, I would say my career choice so far has been very rewarding.

and is that what your parents regard as the “ideal” career choice? one which makes you happy and is rewarding?
not always, no.

But there is a generation issue there too… my parents ideals and expectations are based on their own experiences and opportunities; and mine have been different, very different in some respects, and i am very thankful for that – in large part to my parents

ok, how do you feel you went in the recent seoul marathon?
very well – i personally had a great race

I think our team (minus one member at that event) skated well together… at our first opportunity. Cheating aside, we were where we had planned to be, and were just undermanned at the critical moment

had you not been undermanned, what do you think would have happened?
oh, speculation is a funny thing. I am sure we would have been right in the mix for the finishing sprint. After that, it’s anybody’s guess.

Do you feel that this has contributed to your goals, both long and short term?
‘this’?

your performance in the seoul wic
sure, I (and we) learnt a lot and are all excited about the season and our coming races. Jordan and i, for example, haven’t quite had this kind of team environment before, and it is giving us a lot of opportunities

sounds very positive.
its that kind of feeling here, yes. Great to be around

speaking of goals, at the recent world championships in venezuela, you came second in the track 1000m race. I was fortunate enough to witness this and I observed that you were, in fact, leading for a significant portion of the race. What was going through your head during those moments while you were in the lead?
hmmm…staying fast mostly, being calm, letting what i have practiced happen, and placing myself on the right positions on the track.

You tell yourself it is go time, then i guess it is down to preparation + desperation

Mick leads the kilo at worlds

preparation + desparation… I like that. I’ll have to write that on my hand for my next kilo

In addition to this observation, I also noticed that your team mate Jordan Malone actually won that race by passing you in the final corner. How does it feel to now be skating with him on the same pro team?
haha (long pause)

why did i see that question coming…

its great

phew, I thought you’d smack me out for a second then…
we’ve both been looking forward to a leadership role with a team, and here we have it. We both have a lot of ideas and input, and there are always good things to come from getting fast people together on the same side

is there any hostile rivalry at all, or is it mostly friendly?
no, nothing hostile i don’t think.

we’re not that sort of a team… everyone is happy to see the others excel, and it is a very supportive (and sure, competitive) training environment. Everyone has their strengths, and there isn’t really a need to prove anything now that we are together, other than what the team can do when we combine those things.

are there any memorable moments or experiences which significantly altered or changed your skating life?
getting together with Desly Hill and Brad Hollingbery in 1998

my friendship with Shaun Thompson

back in the beginning, being a newbie, or nardbarner, in a club with Tony Hanley… who had a lot of stories to tell about the World Championships in particular, and racing overseas

well, I guess this next question really ties in with the last one. Who has made the greatest impact on your skating life?
there have been so many people, and i need to add Dante Muse to that last list.

if you had to pick just one…
(after a long pause) definitely Desly’s influence

our time together has been an inspiring, steadying, and learning experience… on my skating and my life as a whole

Is there anyone, skating or non-skating, alive or dead, who you really look up to for hope and/or inspiration?

(I should probably have said, anyone *else*)

(very long pause)

mick?
hmmm…Shaun

Mick, are you ok? that was a rather long pause…
My family, I would say I am constantly inspired by my network of family and friends

ok. Do you have any regrets? (again, not limited to skating)
hmmm…not trusting myself earlier on

how do you mean?
I think I was perhaps a better skater than i gave myself credit for, and in thinking I didn’t have something the champions had, didn’t back myself totally to become one.

The thing i was lacking, was the belief.

Would that be advice that you would give to all the budding young skaters out there… to believe in themselves and really back themselves?
Definitely. It is the hardest thing to work on ‘at practice’

hmm… tell me about it
but one of the things that separates those on the podium, from those watching on… and you can’t see it in any pictures

ok… now for some random questions to finish up

Who do you think will win the world hide and seek grand final – Osama bin Laden or the Weapons of Mass Destruction?
definitely Christopher Skase… I’d say he’s won, as he didn’t rate a mention.

Do you barrack for a football team of some sort?
sure, the mighty Bombers

I’ll just mention to those international readers that the “Bombers” are the Essendon Football club, an Australian rules football club based in Essendon Victoria
will we spare them the song? Actually, have Gethyn sing it and add the audio to the interview!

(I think we shouldn’t, besides I go for collingwood and gethyn is a hard-nut west coast fan. check out Gethyn singing here ).

What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
Against the kitchen window of the Mogema country house, a cold 0m/s, regrettably

Do you have a girlfriend or boyfriend?
Girlfriend

and SHE has a boyfriend

though luckily, I believe it’s me

but between us, we have both

which is just as well…
am i coming across as fatiguing? haha

no, not really
so, has this been the ‘definitive interview’, in your opinion? I always wanted to do a definitive interview… they sound so classy, or tacky… I forget

hold you horses… this is the second last question… the last one is “finally, do you have any questions for me?”
ah, ok, sorry, took over for a second there

that’s cool
damn, and i’ve blown the ‘definitive interview’ line… can we make THAT my question for you?

though i wouldn’t mind going with “in a word, describe the Hyper 100mm frame”… and “broken” doesn’t count

We’ll get to that, but first, my second-last question. Do you have any non-skating-specific advice of ANY sort for ANY one who may be reading this?
(long pause)

Michael?
hmmm, follow your heart, it is the only chase you will forever regret never making.

cool. I like it.
(cool, worried it might sound cliched)

well, do you have any *more* questions for me?
Sure, do you think you live your life differently now, since surviving your 160km/h meeting with a wall in a racecar?

interestingly, no. from a very young age, I’ve lived my life as if I’ve been on borrowed time… I’ve actually had a few very close brushes with death
(pensive pause)
although, it was a good reminder
I guess in a way, living a life on ‘borrowed time’ may go some way to explaining travelling backwards in a formula ford at the said 160km/h

well yes. Life’s too short not to do s**t… er stuff like that
(pause)
anything else?
that’s it i think

cool. well, thanks heaps for all your time.
no worries, cool, look forward to seeing it

Its been a pleasure interviewing you. Good luck on thursday
thanks