Vietnam won four gold medals at the 2026 International Chemistry Olympiad, with three of them awarded to students from the same class, Class 12 Chemistry 1 at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted.

The three students are Nguyen Manh Tuan, Tran Hoang Nam and Nguyen The Minh. Their achievement is unprecedented in the history of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted.

Three classmates win gold at the International Chemistry Olympiad

Speaking to VietNamNet, Tran Thuy Duong, Principal of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, said this was the first year the school had three students selected for an international Olympiad team in the same subject and all three went on to win gold medals.

Previously, in 2014 and 2021, the school had only two pairs of students who won gold medals together at the International Chemistry Olympiad.

"Not only I, but all the teachers and students at the school feel extremely honored and delighted. This result fully reflects their abilities and also shows how consistently well they have performed," Duong said.

Le Thi Ngoc Ha, the homeroom teacher and chemistry teacher for Class 12 Chemistry 1, said she was deeply moved and proud that three students in her class had won gold medals at the 2026 International Chemistry Olympiad.

According to Ha, when the International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad is also counted, where student Ngo Hoang Minh won a gold medal, Class 12 Chemistry 1 has had four students win international gold medals this academic year.

Ha said Manh Tuan, The Minh and Hoang Nam had all won medals at international and regional chemistry Olympiads since Grade 11.

In particular, with his latest result, Nguyen Manh Tuan has now won gold medals at the International Chemistry Olympiad for two consecutive years, in 2025 and 2026.

Manh Tuan was previously the top-scoring entrant in the Grade 10 admissions exams for both Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted and High School for Gifted Students, University of Science. He also achieved a perfect SAT score of 1600/1600.

"Manh Tuan always comes up with original ideas," Ha said.

Nguyen The Minh, meanwhile, is a serious and exemplary class monitor who dreams of becoming a doctor. While in Grade 11, he won a gold medal at the 2025 Abu Rayhan-Biruni International Chemistry Olympiad in Uzbekistan.

Tran Hoang Nam, according to Ha, has a sense of humor and a strong interest in technology. He also won a silver medal at the 2025 International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad while in Grade 11.

Ha said the three students are not only academically outstanding but also sociable and active participants in class activities.

With these results, all three male students qualify for direct admission to university. Sharing a passion for science and a desire to contribute to the community, all three plan to continue studying chemistry or medicine and pharmacy.

"All three have a very strong foundation in English, so they dream of studying abroad at the world's leading universities, where they can learn and develop their abilities to the fullest," Ha said.

A remarkable class with outstanding achievements

Ha said Class 12 Chemistry 1 achieved a series of notable results this academic year.

Ten students were selected for the national chemistry excellence competition team, winning four first prizes and six second prizes. In addition, eight students from the class advanced to the selection round for international teams.

"The other students in the class also achieved quite high results in the 2026 high school graduation examination. In particular, the class had the highest average chemistry score in Hanoi," Ha said.

Tran Thuy Duong, Principal of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, described Class 12 Chemistry 1 of the 2023-2026 cohort as a strong and united group with a high academic entry level.

"In Class 12 Chemistry 1, there are not only the three students who won gold medals at the International Chemistry Olympiad, but also many other excellent students who have taken part in a wide range of academic competitions.

In addition to performing well academically, Class 12 Chemistry 1 has participated very enthusiastically and actively in school activities, movements and other competitions. We hope there will be more competitions in different fields at the regional and international levels so that more students have opportunities to gain experience, develop their talents and contribute to the country," Duong said.

Hanoi students win seven medals at 2026 international Olympiads

In 2026, Hanoi students won seven medals at international Olympiads in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, including four gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal.

All seven students attend Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted.

At the 2026 International Chemistry Olympiad, or IChO, three of Vietnam's four gold medals were won by students from Class 12 Chemistry 1 at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted: Nguyen Manh Tuan, Nguyen The Minh and Tran Hoang Nam.

At the 2026 International Physics Olympiad, or IPhO, Vu Nguyen Nguyen, a female Grade 11 student in Class Physics 1 at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, won a gold medal.

She also scored a perfect 30/30 on the theoretical exam, helping Vietnam achieve its best-ever result at the International Physics Olympiad, ranking seventh overall.

At the 2026 International Mathematical Olympiad, or IMO, Hanoi had two medalists: Pham Dang Nguyen, a Grade 12 student at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, who won a silver medal, and Ha Manh Hung, a Grade 11 student at the school, who won a bronze medal.

At the 2026 International Biology Olympiad, or IBO, Nguyen Luong Thai Duy, a Grade 12 student at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, won a silver medal.

Thanh Hung