The path to a Gold Medal at the world's most challenging Chemistry Olympiad for a male student from Phan High School.

Determined to "change the color" of the medal

Before heading to Brazil to participate in the Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad, Nguyen Ngo Duc, with a score placing him in the top 6 of the Vietnamese Olympic team, also received notification from the Vietnam Chemical Society to participate in the Abu Rayhan Biruni International Chemistry Olympiad in Uzbekistan.

Upon receiving this notification, Duc and his family were quite hesitant and conflicted, because he had already gained experience in the previous school year.Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiadand won a Silver Medal. To change the color of the medal, the journey to the competition in Uzbekistan might be easier.

However, driven by a desire to compete on a larger stage in what is considered the "most difficult" Chemistry Olympiad in the world, Duc decided to choose the more challenging path for himself.

In his second competition, Germany stated that his main objective was to win the gold medal.

However, this is also a challenge for me, because in this competition I have to compete with more than 190 contestants from 40 different countries around the world, a larger number of participants than last year.

Recounting the competition, Duc shared that the more than 35-hour flight and the time difference between the two countries left the members of the Vietnamese team feeling somewhat tired upon arriving in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

That's why, when entering the first theory test, Duc was sleep-deprived and lacked focus compared to other exams. It wasn't until the second theory test and the practical test that Duc gradually regained his confidence and performed quite well.

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Each section of the exam lasted 5 hours, with many problems covering various fields of chemistry. Personally, and many other candidates, we found this year's exam more difficult than previous years and challenging to complete successfully. The questions were highly application-oriented and required candidates to simultaneously apply multiple pieces of learned knowledge to real-world situations. After completing the exam, although not entirely satisfied with the results, I believe I did my best.

Student Nguyen Ngo Duc

One thing that was particularly unusual for Duc and many other contestants in this competition was that the results were unknown beforehand. On the night of the final awards ceremony, which was broadcast live, not only the members of the Vietnamese team who were in Brazil, but also Duc's family back home were extremely nervous.

Recounting this, Ms. Ngo Thi Thanh Huong – Duc's mother – said: "After the competition, the children shared very little about their results, so we were all quite worried about their performance. After the silver medal winners were awarded their prizes, including two Vietnamese students, we believed in our son's victory, because Duc was the second highest-scoring contestant on the team."

Right on the night of the awards ceremony, the image of student Nguyen Ngo Duc from Vietnam running from the stands onto the stage with his hand raised high, waving the red flag with a yellow star, received many congratulations from teachers, friends, and family.

Duc himself said that when he heard the news that he had won the Gold Medal, he was overwhelmed with joy. The victory not only marked the achievement of the Vietnamese team but also the culmination of Duc's efforts after three years of perseverance at Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School. The victory also helped him regain his self-confidence after many previous attempts at the finish line were met with disappointment.

A male student with many remarkable achievements.

Nguyen Ngo Duc is the eldest of three brothers. From a young age, because his mother taught far from home, nearly 30 km away, and his father was often away on construction projects, Duc and his brothers were mainly cared for by their grandparents. Speaking about his grandson, Mr. Nguyen Van Oanh is most proud of Duc for being well-behaved and intelligent from a young age: When he was only 5 years old, he already knew how to do all addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Throughout his 12 years of schooling, from primary to secondary school at Dang Thai Mai Secondary School and then Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School, Duc shared that he was heavily influenced by his mother, a rather strict high school math teacher. His mother, Ms. Huong, also said: "I don't put pressure on my son's studies so that he can develop his abilities. However, I always require him to concentrate and complete his studies thoroughly."

Perhaps because he grew up in a well-educated environment, Duc was a self-disciplined and conscientious student from an early age. With his intelligence and diligence, in 9th grade, Duc achieved the top score in Chemistry at the Vinh City Student Excellence Competition and won third prize at the provincial level. In the entrance exam for 10th grade at Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School, Duc was the second-highest scorer in the Chemistry specialized class.

Nguyen Ngo Duc, a student from Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted (Class of 11th and 12th grade), is one of the very few students who have won first prize twice in the National Excellent Student Competition (grades 11 and 12). This opened the door for Duc to advance to the second round of selection for the National Olympic Team to participate in the International Chemistry Olympiad.

Unfortunately, despite having a relatively favorable starting point, Duc was unsuccessful in both of his attempts, leaving behind much regret for himself, his teachers, and his family. During those difficult times, Duc always had his mother by his side, encouraging and supporting him. He also told himself, "If you lose this round, try again next time," and when given the opportunity to participate in the Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad, Duc did his best to ensure he had no regrets.

With two Silver and Gold medals at the Chemistry Olympiad, dubbed "the world's most difficult Chemistry Olympiad," Duc says he has regained his self-confidence. Behind these achievements are long days of diligent studying, sleepless nights, and hurried train journeys between Vinh and Hanoi lasting for weeks during the intensive exam preparation period.

Behind Duc's success are the teachers, the school, and his family, who have always been there to encourage and motivate him to overcome his own past failures.

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Besides being diligent, Duc's strengths include carefulness and composure when taking exams. Therefore, we weren't surprised when he won first prize in the national excellent student competition in 11th grade. Duc is also a student with strong willpower; even in unsuccessful exams, he never lost his determination to try. I believe that the gold medal Duc won in this year's competition is not simply a competition; more importantly, it is a medal of courage, of daring to challenge himself, of daring to "overcome himself."

Teacher Le Van Tu – Head of the Chemistry Team of Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School