The six silver medals were awarded to Nguyen Nhat Minh, an 11th grader at the High School for Gifted Students in Natural Sciences under Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Ta Ngoc Minh, a 12th grader from Bac Ninh High School for the Gifted in Bac Ninh Province; Vu Nguyen Nguyen, an 11th grader from Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted in Hanoi; Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, a 12th grader from Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in Ninh Binh Province; Phan Tuan Dung, a 12th grader from Hung Vuong High School for the Gifted in Phu Tho Province; and Bui Anh Tu, an 11th grader from Bien Hoa High School for the Gifted in Ninh Binh Province.

The two bronze medals went to Le Duy Khanh and Mai Van Khanh, both 11th graders at Lam Son High School for the Gifted in Thanh Hoa Province.

The 2026 Asian Physics Olympiad was held in South Korea from May 17 to 25, attracting 209 contestants from 27 countries and territories. The competition is regarded as one of the most challenging regional Olympiads, bringing together some of the strongest physics teams in the Asia-Pacific region.

APhO 2026 featured two official competition days - one theoretical exam and one experimental exam - with each lasting five hours. This year’s problems were highly selective, requiring contestants to master core knowledge, mathematical modelling and the application of physics to real-world situations.

The theoretical section included three problems covering the mechanics of balanced systems, X-ray diffraction in material structure research and magnetic resonance in external fields. The questions combined fundamental physics with applications in precision measurement, material science, semiconductor technology, sensors and other modern technologies.

The experimental exam focused on designing and operating measurement systems. One task involved a “water clock,” requiring contestants to apply fluid mechanics, measurement techniques, data processing and error analysis. Another task used the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) on the Micro:bit platform to estimate unknown resistance values, testing students’ ability to design experiments, identify errors and develop reliable measurement methods.

According to the overall medal standings, Vietnam ranked among the top eight performing teams, alongside South Korea, China, Taiwan (China), Russia, Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong (China).

Notably, Vietnam was one of only five delegations in which all contestants won medals, together with South Korea, China, Taiwan (China) and Russia.

Five of Vietnam’s eight team members were 11th graders, offering strong prospects for the 2026 International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) and creating a promising pipeline for future APhO and IPhO competitions in 2027.

The closing ceremony and award presentation for APhO 2026 were scheduled to take place on May 24 in Busan, South Korea.

Thanh Hung