All four Vietnamese students competing in the 59th Mendeleev International Chemistry Olympiad have won medals, including two golds and two silvers, according to the Ministry of Education and Training.
The two gold medallists are Tran Trung Kien, a 12th grader from the Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, who scored 169.25 points, and Nguyen Ngo Duc, a 12th grader from the Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted in Nghe An province, who scored 151.05 points.
The silver medals went to Dinh Trong An, a 12th grader from the the High School for Gifted Students in Natural Sciences, under the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, with 149.70 points; and Tran Hoang Nam, an 11th grader also from the Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, who scored 136.65 points.
The 59th edition of the Mendeleev Olympiad took place in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, from May 5 to 12. Vietnam’s team was selected based on the results of the national selection exam for regional and international Olympiads held in last March, alongside the main team for the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). This group was trained and organised by the University of Science under the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, as assigned by the Ministry of Education and Training.
Participation in the competition aims to expand international academic exchange, enhance students’ capabilities, and offer opportunities for outstanding students to engage in high-level scientific activities.
The Mendeleev International Chemistry Olympiad is regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious and challenging competitions in chemistry for high school students. The 2025 edition attracted 192 contestants from 40 countries and territories, including those with strong chemistry education traditions such as China, Russia, the Republic of Korea and Japan.
Contestants faced three rounds over three days, each lasting five hours. Official awards were presented to the top 60% of participants, with gold, silver and bronze medals distributed in a 1:2:3 ratio./.
