COUNTDOWN star Rachel Riley visited a Southgate school yesterday to hand a trophy to a girl who came second in an international maths competition.
Vihangi Rajapakse, 7, beat more than 1.2 million students from 212 countries to be runner-up in the World Maths Day competition, and received her trophy from the Channel 4 mathematician in a special ceremony.
Ms Riley also held a lesson with pupils at Salcombe Preparatory School in Chase Side and took charge of a Countdown game between the staff and children.
Head of maths, Simona Tudoran, said: “Vihangi has made us all extremely proud, putting the school on the world map.
“She was pretty emotional when she came up to collect her prize but she deserves it because she has worked really hard.
“All of the children loved the day and in the afternoon they wrote stories about the experience.”
The World Maths Day event took place on March 1, with students playing at home and at school against other students around the world in live games of mental arithmetic.
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