Faruk’s Olympiad journey began in fifth grade, inspired by a deep-rooted love for problem solving passed down from his parents. Originally a math competitor, he later shifted his focus to informatics and began teaching others—an experience that helped him realize how competitions can shape and motivate young people. Now at university, Faruk is eager to explore subjects with real-world applications, particularly quantum computing. Outside of coding, he balances his technical interests with a passion for basketball, climbing, and precision-driven cooking.

We caught up before he started university (interview edited for length and clarity):