Ah, I see; I hadn't understood that from your original post. (Which national math test was it, just out of interest? If it was the AMC8 and he was already in the top 1% at age 10, some excitement is justified; and since the later AMC contests do form part of the selection procedure for the USAJMO, USAMO and ultimately IMO, it might to some extent explain the slippery slope they fell down!)

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