I don't particularly like "such as." I would prefer something like "including."
James was an active participant in many competitions, including such formidable challenges like the South West Mathematics Challenge and the Ohio State Technology Finals.
This sentence is ok with grammar, is it formal?
James actively participated in competitions, such as “XYZ” (mathematics competition) and “YXZ” (information technology competition).
James was an active participant in many competitions, including such formidable challenges like the South West Mathematics Challenge and the Ohio State Technology Finals.
Something like that?