24th May 2026: A Sunday Not Quite Ordinary
by Danyson Wong De Sheng, Lim Jye Ern Javen
Picture an ordinary day at Changi Airport. Now wipe that from your memory. 24th May was no ordinary day.
A heavy thunderstorm encroached upon the airport terminals ominously, foreboding our greatest fears. Rows of flights were delayed, pilots were scurrying across the airport, and weary passengers were lugging their fatigued bodies across the terminals. Understandably so. Team USA, comprising a delegation from North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, had spent a day and a half hopping across three flights. Yet, the energy of excitement from within the airport never dissipated.
Our Epigraph journalists arrived at 3 p.m. to the scene of teal-clad figures gliding across the carpeted halls of Terminal One Arrivals. Within the crowd were members of the SIMC2.0 volunteer team: Student Programme Liaisons (SPLs), representatives from NUS High Media, and delegates from the Planning Team. Eye-catching welcome signs adorned with the insignia of a dozen schools waved excitedly from behind glass windows; our Epigraph journalists stood in anticipation, armed with microphones.
At 4 p.m., a rumbling of luggage and footsteps reverberated against the marble floor. The crowd leapt into action, welcoming Team USA with a traditional SIMC2.0 greeting — a group photograph with the ceremonial banner and team placard.
After each warm welcome, Epigraph had the pleasure of chatting with every team.
Many contestants remarked about their anticipation towards cultural exchange in Singapore. For Italy’s H-FARM International School, excitement at the thought of meeting new people and encountering new cultures cut through their post-flight exhaustion. At the same time, the challenge to come was not off their minds. Asked about what he was excited to do in Singapore, a student from Poland’s Batory High School simply answered, “Maths”.
Even more were here for the love of the game, tracing their love for mathematics back to their early years of schooling. One student from Hungary’s Fazekas High School reminisced about the early days of his mathematical interest, piqued from his first competition in the second grade.
Competitors for the title of champion have come not only seasoned but prepared. Defending champion John Monash Science School from Australia is up against teams which have pored through past questions and brushed up on their Python skills. For Team Poland, training consumed up to ten hours a day.
The Australians, nonetheless, remain optimistic.
“We’ve done a lot of hard work and preparation for this competition, and we are really anticipating to achieve a good result.”
As interviews concluded and the silhouettes of the student coaches rolled away, a tinge of burning anticipation warmed hearts at Epigraph. Even on Day Zero, we were awe-stricken with a familiar sense of something unforgettable.
The heat is on. May the best team win!