Vietnam Ties China and India for First at Chemistry Olympiad as Students Win Eight International Medals

Vietnam takes a joint first place in chemistry

Vietnamese students have won four gold medals at the 2026 International Chemistry Olympiad and four silver medals at the International Biology Olympiad, giving the country one of its strongest combined results in international science competitions.

All four members of Vietnam’s chemistry team received gold medals at the 58th IChO in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Vietnam tied with China and India for the highest number of chemistry golds. The result was announced on Sunday by the Authority of Quality Management under the Ministry of Education and Training.

The chemistry performance also extends a remarkable recent record. From 2020 through 2026, Vietnam sent 28 students to the IChO and those students won 25 gold medals and three silver medals. Every competitor from the 2026 team reached the highest medal category, a result that places Vietnam among the leading countries in the competition.

The four gold medallists are Nguyen Manh Tuan, Nguyen The Minh and Tran Hoang Nam, all 12th grade students at Hanoi Amsterdam High School for the Gifted. The fourth, Dinh Xuan Phuc, is a 12th grade student at Vinh Phuc High School for the Gifted in Phu Tho Province.

What made the chemistry contest demanding?

The IChO was held from July 10 to 19 and brought together 368 secondary school students from 93 countries and territories. Each participant completed a five hour theory examination and a five hour practical examination.

The two parts tested much more than the ability to recall formulas or memorise reactions. Students had to interpret information, build scientific arguments, explain natural and industrial processes, and solve unfamiliar problems using chemical principles. The practical examination also required careful measurement and accurate laboratory work, where a small error can affect several later stages of an experiment.

This year’s questions were linked to current areas of chemistry and materials science. Topics included ammonia production, nuclear chemistry and the reuse of carbon dioxide. Ammonia is widely used in fertiliser and chemical manufacturing, while research into carbon dioxide conversion is connected with efforts to reduce industrial emissions. Nuclear chemistry examines changes in atomic nuclei and has applications in energy, medicine and materials research.

The format reflects a wider change in science education competitions. Strong candidates are expected to connect classroom knowledge with real production systems, environmental challenges and technical decisions. They must understand why a reaction works, assess evidence and apply the right method to a new situation.

Four biology students return with silver medals

Vietnam also produced a complete medal result at the 37th International Biology Olympiad in Vilnius, Lithuania. All four members of the national team won silver medals, and three of them ranked among the seven highest scoring silver medallists. The team’s combined score placed Vietnam among the top eight delegations.

The biology medallists are Than Duc Chinh and Phung Quang Hung, both from Bac Giang High School for the Gifted in Bac Ninh Province; Nguyen Thanh An from the High School for Gifted Students under Vietnam National University, Hanoi; and Nguyen Luong Thai Duy from Hanoi Amsterdam High School for the Gifted. All four are 12th grade students.

The IBO took place from July 12 to 19 and attracted nearly 300 candidates from 86 countries and territories. The event included six observer delegations. Its examination structure combined two theory papers, each lasting 180 minutes, with four laboratory stations, each lasting 90 minutes.

The theory papers contained 100 questions connected with practical global concerns. Students worked on subjects such as environmental pollution, green growth, carbon neutrality, climate change mitigation, public health and the diagnosis of difficult human diseases.

Why biology required knowledge across several fields

The laboratory part tested four areas: biochemistry and molecular biology, human and animal physiology, animal anatomy and systematics, and plant bioinformatics. These subjects require students to move between different scales of life, from molecules and cells to organs, organisms and ecosystems.

Biochemistry examines the chemical reactions that sustain living systems. Molecular biology focuses on genetic material and the way cells use biological information. Physiology studies how organs and living bodies function, while systematics classifies organisms by examining their features and evolutionary relationships. Plant bioinformatics uses computing and data analysis to study plant genes, traits and biological processes.

Because of this range, the IBO is widely viewed as one of the most demanding international science competitions for secondary school students. Participants need a strong foundation in biology as well as supporting knowledge of chemistry, physics, mathematics and environmental science. They also need laboratory skills, since theoretical answers alone cannot compensate for poor experimental technique.

The biology examination’s focus on pollution, public health and disease research also shows how school science competitions are being connected with real world needs. Questions about carbon neutrality or disease diagnosis ask students to apply biological knowledge to problems faced by communities, hospitals, researchers and governments.

A result built through selection and training

The Ministry of Education and Training said the two medal hauls reflect the work of Vietnam’s education sector in identifying, selecting and training students with strong scientific ability. National teams are formed through a demanding process in which students are tested on subject knowledge, reasoning, laboratory performance and their ability to work through difficult material under time pressure.

Specialised schools play a major role in this process. Hanoi Amsterdam High School for the Gifted produced three of the chemistry gold medallists and one of the biology silver medallists. Other team members came from specialised schools in Phu Tho, Bac Ninh Province and Vietnam National University in Hanoi.

These schools provide advanced classes, experienced teachers and access to training that goes beyond the standard secondary curriculum. Students preparing for international Olympiads often spend months studying university level concepts, practising experiments and solving previous competition problems. Their preparation also requires persistence, since many tasks are designed to test unfamiliar applications rather than routine exercises.

Vietnam’s chemistry record is especially consistent. Winning 25 gold medals from 28 participants between 2020 and 2026 means the country has produced a sustained stream of high scoring contestants rather than a single exceptional team. The 2026 all gold result adds to that record while also placing Vietnam in direct competition with China and India, two major science education powers in Asia.

How the result fits a wider Asian science contest

The joint first place in chemistry highlights the strength of Asian participation at the IChO. China, India and Vietnam all had four gold medallists. India described its own four gold medals as its best result since it began participating in the competition, while China also shared the leading position.

The comparison should be treated with care because medal totals do not show every difference between teams. Olympiad rankings can depend on score distribution, the number of medals awarded and the performance of individual contestants. Still, an all gold result for a four member national team is a strong measure of consistency.

Vietnam’s biology result also placed it among the leading delegations, even though all four medals were silver. Three students ranking near the top of the silver category indicates that the team was close to the highest scoring group. The result adds strength to Vietnam’s standing across more than one branch of natural science.

Other 2026 science Olympiad results have also drawn attention across the region. India reported four chemistry golds and one biology gold with three silvers, while Vietnam’s teams produced four chemistry golds and four biology silvers. These performances show how national education systems are investing in intensive science training and seeking stronger links between secondary education, universities and research institutions.

Why chemistry and biology talent matters beyond medals

International Olympiad medals are individual achievements, yet their value extends beyond the students who receive them. Chemistry and biology support major areas of national development, including medicine, agriculture, clean energy, environmental protection, food production, materials research and industrial manufacturing.

Students trained for these competitions learn to assess evidence, test assumptions and explain their conclusions. Those skills are useful in laboratories and engineering teams, as well as in fields that require accurate decisions based on complex data. A student who studies ammonia catalysts, carbon dioxide conversion or molecular diagnostics is also gaining experience with problems that appear in energy, health and climate research.

The Vietnamese government has linked the results with national policies on education, science, technology and innovation under Politburo Resolutions 71 NQ TW and 57 NQ TW. The stated goal is to build a larger pool of highly skilled workers in chemistry and related scientific fields.

That goal will require more than competition success. Vietnam will need to keep strong students engaged in research, expand laboratory access, support teachers and create opportunities for graduates to continue into universities, industry and public research. Olympiad teams can serve as an early source of scientific talent, while their training can also help raise standards in specialised education.

What the eight medals say about Vietnamese education

The 2026 results present two complementary achievements. Chemistry produced a clean sweep of gold medals and a joint first place, while biology delivered four silver medals and a top eight team score. Together, they show strength in both exact chemical analysis and the broader study of living systems.

The performances also show the value of combining theory with practice. At both competitions, students had to solve demanding written tasks and demonstrate laboratory competence. Their success suggests that Vietnam’s strongest science programmes are preparing students to use knowledge, rather than simply repeat it.

For the eight students, the medals mark the end of years of study and training during their final year of secondary school. For Vietnam, they provide a public measure of the country’s ability to identify young scientific talent and prepare it for competition at the highest international level.

Key Points

• Vietnam won four gold medals at the 2026 International Chemistry Olympiad.
• All four Vietnamese chemistry contestants received gold medals.
• Vietnam tied China and India for first place by chemistry gold medal count.
• Vietnam won four silver medals at the 2026 International Biology Olympiad.
• Three Vietnamese biology students ranked among the seven highest scoring silver medallists.
• The chemistry team has won 25 gold medals and three silver medals from 28 contestants since 2020.
• The chemistry contest was held in Tashkent, while the biology contest took place in Vilnius.