Contestants took two exams, theory and experimental, each lasting five hours, to assess knowledge, analytical thinking, problem-solving ability, and practical physics skills.

Vu Nguyen Nguyen’s achievement, together with other team members, helped Vietnam achieve its highest-ever result at the 26th IPhO, ranking seventh overall with four Gold Medals and one Silver Medal. Among them, Nguyen Nhat Minh, grade 11 at High School for Gifted Students, VNU Hanoi, also won Gold with 30/30 points on the theory exam.

Mai Kieu Le, Nguyen's mother, said her daughter had previously won a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Physics Olympiad and continued working tirelessly afterward.

"Watching her prepare with such determination, I always hoped she would achieve the result she deserved. When we learned the outcome, I felt incredibly happy and relieved to see all her hard work pay off," Le said.

She recalled that Nguyen showed strong academic ability from primary school. In fifth grade, her teachers encouraged her to apply to the secondary education program of the Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, one of the most prestigious schools in Vietnam. The family hesitated because, if admitted, she would have to travel far from home despite having poor health.

Contrary to the family’s hesitation, Nguyen was determined. She wanted to study with outstanding classmates to push herself further. During the two months before the entrance exam, she woke up at 5:30am every day, prepared everything herself, and asked her mother to take her to a review class near the school. She never complained about the demanding schedule, studied enthusiastically, and was successfully admitted.

According to her mother, Nguyen has always been highly independent in her studies, constantly exploring and expanding her knowledge. She often watched YouTube videos to understand scientific experiments and phenomena that intrigued her and read numerous foreign-language physics materials.

As she realized that many everyday phenomena could be explained through science in fascinating ways, her passion for the subject grew stronger. By the end of eighth grade, she had decided to pursue physics in depth because of its broad practical applications.

Besides attending school, Nguyen spent most of her time studying independently at home, attending extra classes, and solving advanced physics problems.

In the high school entrance examination, she was admitted to the physics majoring classes of three prestigious schools in Hanoi. She ranked first among all applicants to the physics majoring class at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted and was later recognized as one of Hanoi's Outstanding Students for the 2025–2026 academic year.

Pham Vu Bich Hang, Nguyen's homeroom teacher and physics teacher, said the result was a fitting reward for her student's passion for physics and years of perseverance in mastering difficult knowledge.

Nguyen Nguyen has shined in all physics awards: top valedictorian for the physics major at Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted; Gold Medal at the 2025 International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics; First Prize in the national excellent student competition; Silver Medal at the 2026 Asian Physics Olympiad; and Gold Medal at the 2026 IPhO.

In addition to her outstanding academic achievements, Nguyen also leaves an impression with her cheerful, humble and polite nature. The student also plays games "very excellently" with her classmates.

“Learning advanced knowledge is a challenge for many excellent students, but Nguyen considers it happiness. It seems that when studying Physics, Nguyen is immersed in her own world. She is always serious in her studies; every physics problem, whether easy or difficult, is presented very meticulously. In class, Nguyen Nguyen is admired and loved by her peers,” Hang said.

Hang noted that Nguyen has a very good capacity for self-research. “She is an introspective girl, very understanding, and always resolves difficulties on her own without bothering others,” Hang said.

Hang has accompanied Nguyen since the student joined the physics team at the secondary division of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted in ninth grade. 

At first, Nguyen was a math major. But thanks to her eagerness to learn, creative thinking, and persistent effort, she improved rapidly, overtaking many students who had studied physics for longer. 

She went on to win second prize in Hanoi's ninth-grade excellent student competition and became the top entrant to the school's physics majoring class.

Thanh Hung