Math whiz still Sudoku queen

MANILA, Philippines - A 15-year-old math whiz from Pangasinan has defended her title as the Philippines’ sudoku “grandmaster” after winning the 4th Philippine Sudoku Super Challenge (PSSC) grand finals held at the SM City North EDSA in Quezon City over the weekend.

Sarah Jane Cua, a third year high school student at the Pangasinan Universal Institute and the winner in 2008, bested 21 other grand finalists last Saturday to become champion of the 4th PSSC held at the annex of the SM mall complex.

Cua, despite her young age, is also a veteran of international math tournaments held in different countries all over the globe, winning her fair share of gold, silver, and bronze medals in the past years.

Dr. Simon Chua, president of the Mathematics Trainers Guild-Philippines (MTG), the chief organizer of the contest said a total of 118 students and professionals joined the contest in three categories: Sudoku Whiz Kid, Sudoku Wizard and Sudoku Grandmaster.

In the Grandmaster division, Cua garnered 1,601 points from five rounds to win the title and went home with P60,000 in cash prize and a trophy. 

The other winners were Matthew Chris Chan from Manila, who bagged first runner-up and P40,000; Mariel Alexis Dee from Metro Manila, second runner-up and P30,000; Jayhan Regner from Cagayan de Oro City, third runner-up; and Frederick Ong from Bacolod City, fourth runner-up.

Cua, the reigning champion in the Grandmaster division, also won the grand prize in the Brand’s Asia Pacific Open Sudoku contest held in Singapore in 2008.

Last year, John Robert Valcos, a student of St. Mary’s College in Bulacan; and Cua were declared champion and first runner-up, respectively, in the 3rd Brand’s Sudoku Thailand International Open 2009 Princess Somsawali Cup held in Bangkok.

In the Sudoku Wizard, Timothy James Tan of Bacolod won first place and P50,000. First runner-up went to Sed Anderson Holaysan of Cebu City who was awarded P30,000 and second runner-up was Ma. Czarina Angela Lao of Metro Manila who won P20,000. Ericson Ong of Olongapo City, and Kimberly Christine Decear of Zamboanga City completed the top five. A total of 75 high school students competed in the division.

Ethan Riley Chan of Zamboanga City, on the other hand, won in the Sudoku Whiz Kid and went home with P20,000. He was followed by Magin Benedict Ferrer of Iloilo City who won P10,000; Lorenzo Jose Baquiran of Iloilo City who won P5,000; Kate Ann Adlaon of Lucena City who was third runner-up; and Candice Renee Beatric Solidarios of Calamba City, fourth runner-up.