16-year-old Pinoy defends title in Asia Pacific Sudoku tilt

MANILA, Philippines - A 16-year-old math whiz from the Philippines has successfully defended her title as the champion of Brand’s Asia Pacific Sudoku Challenge 2010 held in Singapore over the weekend.

Sarah Jane Cua, a student of Pangasinan Universal Institute in Dagupan City, finished the final Sudoku puzzle ahead of 50 other competitors from Singapore, China, Thailand, Indonesia, India and Malaysia.

Cua won a cash prize of S$10,000 (P332,643), a $300 Brand’s Hamper, a glass trophy and certificate, as well as a year’s supply of Brand’s Essence of Chicken. “I’m very happy,” Cua said in Filipino after winning the Sudoku contest.                                             

The second and third places went to contestants from Malaysia and Singapore, who won S$5,000 and S$2,500, respectively.                  

Another Filipino participant, Timothy James Tan from Trinity Christian School in Bacolod City, placed among the top 15 finalists.

Cua was trained by the Mathematics Trainers Guild-Philippines (MTG).

“I congratulate Sarah Jane for her exceptional performance, which again brought honor to our country,” said guild president Dr. Simon Chua.           

In 2008, Cua won second place in the 3rd Philippine Sudoku Super Challenge, after which she represented the Philippines in the Brand’s Sudoku Challenge 2008 Asia Pacific Open in Singapore where she won first place.      

Cua was also the champion in the 2009 and 2010 Philippine Sudoku Super Challenge. Last year, Cua won second place in the 3rd Brand’s Sudoku Thailand International Open 2009 Princess Somsawali Cup held in Bangkok.                                 

The Brand’s Asia Pacific Sudoku Challenge 2010 is a competition for the best Sudoku players in Asia. Only those who placed in the top three spots of national level Sudoku competitions or have been nominated by their country’s Sudoku association are sent as the country’s representatives to the competition.