The mark of the golden boy of Chemistry in the world's Top 10

At the 57th International Chemistry Olympiad (ICHO) just concluded in Dubai (UAE), the Vietnamese flag flew proudly with a historic feat. For the first time, all four members of the team won Gold Medals in a live competition.

Amidst that “golden rain”, the name Nguyen Hoang Khoi, a 12th grade Chemistry major student at Hanoi National University of Education High School, shined even brighter when he not only brought glory to the country but also, along with another teammate in the group, entered the Top 10 contestants with the highest scores globally.

Nguyen Hoang Khoi, 12th grade student majoring in Chemistry, Hanoi National University of Education High School for the Gifted, winner of the ICHO 2025 Gold Medal.

Journey to the pinnacle of glory

Nguyen Hoang Khoi is not a surprising name in the community of students majoring in Chemistry. Right from the first years of high school, the student from Hanoi soon revealed a strong passion and special qualities for this subject considered quite "dry". But for Khoi, Chemistry has its own beauty.

She once confided: "Chemistry is not only a subject, but also the language of nature, the key to understanding the physical world around us."

It was that pure love that became the motivation for Khoi to study diligently and constantly improve his knowledge. A high spirit of self-study along with his ability to think logically and sharply helped him gradually conquer the peaks. If winning the National First Prize in Chemistry in grade 11 was an impressive first affirmation, then successfully defending this title in grade 12 showed the remarkable mettle and stability of a young talent - an achievement that not many students can do.

The domestic awards are a solid foundation, a ticket for Khoi to enter the national team selection round to participate in the international Olympic arena. This is a truly arduous journey, requiring high concentration and perseverance.

Under the guidance of leading teachers from Hanoi National University of Education, University of Natural Sciences , Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Khoi and his teammates went through months of intensive training. He not only acquired knowledge but also trained his mettle, competitive mentality and continuously surpassed his own limits.

The prestigious Gold Medal and 10th place overall in the world rankings are a worthy reward for the sweat, sleepless nights studying and simulation experiments.

Happiness of picking sweet fruit

Despite such a "huge" achievement, when meeting him, people are impressed with a humble and open-minded Nguyen Hoang Khoi. Sharing his joy after the victory, Khoi expressed his most sincere thanks to his teachers and family. "I feel extremely honored to represent Vietnam in the competition. This medal is the result of the trust I received from my family, friends and teachers, I am just the representative to bring it back," Khoi confided.

The Olympic Gold Medalist recounted an unforgettable moment at the award ceremony. “The most exciting moment was when the organizers handed out silver medals one by one for nearly an hour. When we learned that all four members of the delegation had won silver medals or higher, all of us and our teachers were truly overwhelmed with happiness.”

This is the first time in history that the Vietnamese team has won 4 gold medals at an International Chemistry Olympiad. Photo: MOET.

The overwhelming happiness was not only for the contestants. Mr. Pham Hong Hai, head teacher of the Chemistry team at the High School for the Gifted, who has accompanied Khoi since the beginning, could not hide his emotion. Mr. Hai shared that the process of cultivating a top talent requires a combination of many factors: profound knowledge, iron discipline, and above all, passion. In Khoi, he saw all of that.

“Right from the selection rounds, Khoi clearly demonstrated his seriousness, creativity and excellent self-study ability,” commented Mr. Hai. According to him, Khoi’s greatest strength is his ability to absorb and apply new knowledge extremely quickly, while also learning deeply from his mistakes. A mistake he will never make a second time.

The moment the Organizing Committee called contestant Nguyen Hoang Khoi's name to receive the prestigious Gold Medal, the teacher was moved to tears, tears of happiness when witnessing his student growing up.

Teachers also highly appreciate Khoi not only for his intelligence but also for his very scientific learning method, which does not put too much pressure on himself. It is his relaxed attitude and his view of learning as a discovery that has helped him go far.

Challenges at ICHO 2025 Arena

To achieve glory, Nguyen Hoang Khoi and his teammates had to overcome a challenging exam. ICHO 2025 included two tough exams: theory and practice, each lasting continuously for 5 hours.

The practical exam requires candidates to master basic to advanced experimental skills, such as synthesizing and analyzing complexes, identifying amino acids, identifying organic compounds using thin layer chromatography techniques, titration, and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. This exam requires precision, logical thinking, and proficient laboratory operations.

Meanwhile, the theoretical exam revolves around environmental issues, technology or applications of chemistry in life such as: seawater desalination, solar energy, tennis balls, lanterns ... requiring candidates to apply comprehensive knowledge and critical thinking to solve problems. The structure of this year's exam is considered creative, close to real life but still ensures scientific depth.

The victory of Nguyen Hoang Khoi and the entire Vietnamese team in such a difficult and practical exam further affirms the quality of the country's leading education, as well as the talent and courage of the young generation of Vietnam in the international intellectual arena.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/dau-an-chang-trai-vang-hoa-hoc-lot-top-10-the-gioi-post1556827.html