4 gold medals propel Vietnam into top 7 at Int'l Physics Olympiad for first time

The Vietnam Education Quality Management Agency under the Ministry of Education and Training announced the results on Saturday afternoon, describing the achievement as a landmark milestone for the country's physics team.

The 56th International Physics Olympiad was held in Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia, from July 4 to 12, bringing together 381 talented high-school students from 85 countries and territories.

Contestants completed two demanding five-hour examinations, including a theoretical test and an experimental test.

The competition is designed to assess participants' mastery of physics, analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and practical laboratory skills.

Vietnam's four gold medalists are Vu Nguyen Nguyen, an 11th-grade student from Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted in Hanoi, Nguyen Nhat Minh, an 11th-grade student from the HUS High School for Gifted Students in Hanoi, Ta Ngoc Minh, a 12th-grade student from Bac Ninh Specialized High School in Bac Ninh Province, and Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, a 12th-grade student from Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in Ninh Binh Province.

Le Duy Khanh, an 11th-grade student from Lam Son High School for Gifted Students in Thanh Hoa Province, earned a silver medal.

This year's performance matches Vietnam's previous record set in 2017, when the country also secured four gold medals and one silver.

However, the 2026 competition marked another historic first, with two Vietnamese students achieving perfect scores of 30 out of 30 on the theoretical examination.

Vietnam's recent performances at the International Physics Olympiad have shown consistent strength.

The national team won two gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal in 2023, followed by two gold medals and three silver medals in 2024.

In 2025, the team earned one gold medal and four silver medals before reaching its record-breaking achievement this year.

The ministry said that the success aligns with Vietnam's strategy of identifying and nurturing gifted students, promoting STEM and STEAM education, and developing highly skilled talent in fundamental sciences, engineering, and technology.