All six Vietnamese members joining the 62nd International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2021 bring home medals, including one gold, two silvers and three bronzes. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese students have recorded impressive results at International Olympiads although the learning and competitions took place online amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thirty-seven Vietnamese students participating in International Olympiads in informatics, mathematics, chemistry, biology and physics have brought home 35 medals, including 12 golds, 13 silvers and 10 bronzes, and two certificates of merit.

Overcoming difficulties

2021 is the second year when the Olympiads have been held online due to the impact of the COVDI-19 pandemic.

Last year, Vietnamese students joined the International Mathematical Olympiad at the Vietnam National University (VNU)'s University of Science.

However, this year’s competition was held at the VNU University of Science in Hanoi and the Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in Ho Chi Minh City, as the pandemic has been developing more complicatedly.

According to Prof. Dr. Le Anh Vinh, head of the Vietnamese delegation to the International Mathematical Olympiad, the training also took place online this year given the face of the pandemic.

However, the students still showed their enthusiasm during the training that was also supported by contestants of previous Olympiads, he added.

The International Biology Olympiad and the International Physics Olympiad were also organised online under the monitoring of organisers.

However, unlike the previous years when Vietnam had missed certain Olympiads. This year, Vietnamese students joined all competitions, said Associate Prof. Mai Van Trinh, head of the Quality Management Department under the Ministry of Education and Training (MoIT).

Impressive results

All Vietnamese candidates at the 53rd International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO 2021) won medals, with three gold and one silver.

According to the MoIT, the three gold medalists were 12th graders Nguyen Duy Anh and Nguyen Le Thao Anh of the Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted and Pham Duc Nam Phuong from Hai Duong province’s Nguyen Trai High School for the Gifted.

The silver medal went to another 12th grader, Nguyen Hoang Duong of the Hanoi University of Science (HUS)'s High School for the Gifted under the Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Meanwhile, five Vietnamese students competing at the International Physics Olympiad 2021 (IPhO 2021) pocketed medals, comprising three golds and two silvers.

The gold medalists are Nguyen Manh Quan and Tran Quang Vinh from the Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, and Trang Dao Cong Minh from the High School for the Gifted in Natural Sciences under the Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Nguyen Trong Thuan from the Lam Son High School for the Gifted in central Thanh Hoa province and Bui Thanh Tan from the Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted in central Nghe An province won the silver medals.

In the tally, Vietnam ranked seventh after the Republic of Korea, China, Russia, the US, Taiwan (China) and Romania.

All four Vietnamese students participating in the International Informatics Olympiad won silver medals.

The ministry reported that four Vietnamese students competing at the International Biology Olympiad 2021 won prizes, including one gold, two silvers and one bronze medals.

Vietnamese students also obtained outstanding achievements in Asia-Pacific Informatics and Physics Olympiads.

Six Vietnamese students pocketed medals at the Asia-Pacific Informatics Olympiad (APIO) 2021.

With two gold, one silver, and three bronze medals, Vietnam ranked fourth among the 35 participating countries and territories at the event, following China, Iran, and Japan.

This result is the best compared to Vietnam’s performance at the previous APIOs, the ministry noted.

All eight Vietnamese students participating in the 2021 Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO) won prizes, bringing home two golds, one silver, three bronzes and two certificates of merit, reported the ministry.

🍨 Trinh said the achievements have mirrored great efforts by Vietnamese students, teachers and parents, especially in the context of COVDI-19, as well as the seriousness in candidate selection for the contests./.