Bao, a Grade 11 chemistry major at the well-known school in Khanh Hoa province, claimed a dramatic victory in the Quarter 1 match of Road to Olympia 2026, scoring 175 points. With this result, Bao not only earned the laurel wreath but also brought an opportunity to Khanh Hoa to become a live broadcast point for the Olympia final.

This achievement also marks the second consecutive year that Khanh Hoa has become a local live broadcast site in the Olympia year final. Last year, Doan Thanh Tung, a Grade 11 biology student at Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted, also reached the final and finished as runner-up.

Before Gia Bao, Khanh Hoa had participated in three Olympia finale live broadcasts, with the highest achievement being the runner-up position (Nguyen Hai Dang in 2019; Doan Thanh Tung in 2025).

Bao said he is still overwhelmed with emotion at the thought of having one foot in the finale and needing just one more step to reach his dream. He said the result came from cultivating knowledge and skills, along with practicing persistence and calmness when facing difficulties during the weekly and monthly rounds.

Bao said the most challenging moment in the quarterfinal match came when he earned the right to answer both questions in the Finish section but gave consecutive incorrect answers. 

“At that moment, I felt worried, tense, and somewhat disappointed. But I immediately reminded myself to stay calm and remain determined for the next questions because ‘anything can happen’, and indeed everything can change,” Bao recalled.

Gia Bao said he first learned about and became fond of Road to Olympia in Grade 7. However, he truly began prioritizing and focusing on this journey from Grade 10 after watching matches of senior students.

He devoted significant time and effort to preparing knowledge for Olympia, researching websites that compile and simulate Olympia-style questions built by previous contestants, and participating in online matches to test himself and sharpen his skills.

The student believes his strengths lie in mathematics and questions involving mathematical thinking and logical reasoning.

Nguyen Duc Thach, the teacher accompanying Gia Bao and a well-known educator for selecting, training, and guiding students from the former Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces and now Khanh Hoa to compete in Road to Olympia over the past 25 years, said he was very pleased with this result.

“Gia Bao is a student with great potential and was the top scorer in the Grade 10 entrance exam for the school’s chemistry major. He always competes in a relaxed manner and is rarely affected psychologically by external factors. In competition, this is an extremely important element that helps overcome tense and high-pressure situations,” Thach said.

Thach noted that Gia Bao is stronger in natural sciences than in social sciences. “In natural science subjects, especially mathematics, he is very sharp. He has quick mental calculation skills and fast logical reasoning.”

Although he teaches literature, Thach said he teaches Bao mathematics rather than his own subject. 

“We frequently ‘battle’ with each other across all areas of knowledge I could provide, including literature, history, geography, mathematical thinking, and logic. I helped Gia Bao understand that no matter the subject, logical thinking is essential for reasoning; no one can know everything. In some contexts, even if you do not immediately know the answer, the question always contains directional clues, and logical reasoning can help resolve difficulties,” Thach explained.

Winning third prize in the provincial chemistry student competition in the 2025–2026 school year, Gia Bao chose to prioritize Road to Olympia, following Thach’s advice, instead of continuing to pursue the national-level competition. 

In his free time, Bao plays football, basketball, chess, and solves Sudoku to train his physical health, logical thinking, and reflexes.

Thach advised that before the finale, Bao needs to fix his weaknesses and aim for the laurel wreath without letting psychological pressure cause him to stumble. With about nine months left before the final match, Gia Bao plans to improve his knowledge and stay updated on news, intending to "accelerate" his study intensity 2-3 months before the competition.

"My goal for the finale is to play comfortably but give my all, showing no concession to any opponent. I hope to join the other three contestants in creating a memorable final," Bao said.

Le Huyen