His journey reflects discipline, curiosity, and a deep understanding of mathematics beyond formulas and memorization.
At not yet 19 years old, Tran Minh Hoang has already built an impressive record, winning multiple medals at prestigious mathematics competitions both in Vietnam and internationally. In just the past two years, he secured two medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad and received the Labor Order twice.
A student of many distinctions
Tran Minh Hoang, Gold Medalist at the 2025 International Mathematical Olympiad, is nominated for the Outstanding Young Vietnamese Faces Award 2025. Photo: NVCC
At the International Mathematical Olympiad in 2024 and 2025, Hoang won a Silver Medal and a Gold Medal, respectively. The former student of Ha Tinh High School for the Gifted also earned three Gold Medals at the Iranian Geometry Olympiad over three consecutive years from 2022 to 2024.
Hoang first drew national attention when he became the top scorer in Vietnam’s national excellent student competition in mathematics while still in Grade 10, making him the first student from Ha Tinh to achieve this distinction at that level. Prior to that, he had already won first prizes and ranked first in provincial competitions in Grades 8 and 9.
Born into a family where both parents are mathematics teachers, Hoang was introduced to the subject early. However, it was during his years at Nguyen Trai Secondary School in Ha Tinh that his mathematical abilities began to truly stand out.
He credits much of his development to Nguyen Thi Hai Luong, the school principal and one of his teachers. “When I was younger, I studied math simply because I liked it. Ms. Luong encouraged me to try larger competitions. Before teaching advanced topics, she helped me build a solid foundation and understand the essence of each problem. That approach has been incredibly helpful throughout my journey,” Hoang said.
According to Hoang, persistence and diligence are the most important factors in learning mathematics effectively.
“I used to think math depended entirely on intelligence and talent. But after hearing from many high-achieving students, I realized that consistent effort and long-term practice are key. When learning something new, it’s important to understand its nature rather than just memorize and apply formulas mechanically. Once you grasp the underlying ideas behind theorems and methods, it becomes much easier to apply them to different problems,” he explained.
Photo: NVCC
Maintaining a genuine interest in mathematics, he added, also makes learning and exploring new problems more natural and effective. He pays attention to balancing time across different areas of study to improve efficiency.
Despite his achievements, Hoang admits that many problems still challenge him. One of the most difficult ones he encountered came from a training set for Vietnam’s IMO team.
“In the summer of Grade 10, there was a problem I struggled with for a long time and couldn’t solve, even after asking older students. I had to set it aside. About a year later, I came across it again and decided to try once more. This time, I found the solution in about an hour. I realized that after a period of learning and gaining experience, I could approach the same problem from a completely different perspective,” he said.
Hoang believes artificial intelligence can be a useful tool if used appropriately, but warns against overreliance when studying mathematics. Many AI-generated solutions, he noted, are based on existing methods and may not help learners understand how ideas are formed. He suggests using AI to look up concepts or gain hints, while writing out full solutions independently to develop thinking skills.
Continuing a passion for mathematics
Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan presents the second-class Labor Order to Tran Minh Hoang for his Gold Medal at the 2025 International Mathematical Olympiad. Photo: TTXVN
For Hoang, mathematics is most clearly applied through probability and logical reasoning, helping him think systematically and make more precise decisions.
Following his achievements in high school, he was directly admitted to university and is currently studying mathematics at the University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. While the material has become more challenging, he believes the core approach remains the same: beyond classroom hours, self-study and deeper exploration are essential.
Outside academics, Hoang spends time on sports and participates in youth and student activities to maintain balance and build connections.
Looking ahead, he intends to continue pursuing mathematics.
With his outstanding achievements, Hoang has twice been awarded the Labor Order by the President - third class in 2024 and second class in 2025.
He has also received numerous other honors, including the Le Van Thiem Award for the 2024-2025 academic year, the title “Outstanding Youth Following Uncle Ho’s Teachings” in Ha Tinh for the 2023-2025 period, and the national “Three Good Student” title in 2024. He won third prize at the National Young Informatics Contest in 2022 and participated in the National Patriotic Emulation Congress in 2025.
Tran Minh Hoang is also among the 19 nominees shortlisted for the online voting round of the Outstanding Young Vietnamese Faces Award 2025.
Vietnamnet.vn
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