The 34th World Memory Championships (WMC 2025) is being held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from December 12-14. Following an emotional opening ceremony, this afternoon, December 12, 290 contestants from more than 20 countries and territories began their competition.
Inside the 'brain arena', the 2025 Super Memory Championship.
Around 2 PM, the candidates began entering the examination rooms to settle into their seats. The room where the mind mapping section was taking place had many candidates from abroad. The largest group was Vietnamese, ranging in age from young children to those over 60 years old. For this section, the candidates brought many pencils, colored pens, etc., to help them complete the task.
Inside the exam room: mind map content
Photo: Pham Huu
Ms. Vo Thi Thai Vuong - Director of the Vietnam Institute for Research and Development of Mind Mapping and Copyright, Head of the Organizing Committee of the competition, with contestant Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao - the 2024 World Mind Mapping Champion, in the examination room on the afternoon of December 12th.
Photo: Phan Diep
At the same time, contestants in the super memory test were instructed to take their seats in a larger room. The organizers stated that no one was allowed to enter or leave the room before and during the test, and that the room had to be kept absolutely silent to avoid making any noise.
Contestants bring laptops to complete the test. The area will be covered to ensure high concentration. This part of the competition features many foreign contestants, who are considered "masters" of super memory. In addition, many Vietnamese contestants are also competing.
During the preparation process, the technical team guided the candidates on connecting their computers. The referees also checked seating arrangements, answered questions, and provided assistance to the candidates when needed.
Dominic O'Brien, a global icon of 'super intelligence,' believes Vietnam is among the leading contenders.
Memory test room, afternoon of December 12th.
Photo: Pham Huu
Overview of the 2025 Super Memory Competition Room
Photo: Pham Huu
Contestants in the super memory competition are seated in secluded areas to maintain concentration and prevent cheating.
Photo: Pham Huu
The tournament features the legendary memory champion Dominic O'Brien, an eight-time world champion. Dominic O'Brien serves as the Head of Ethics, working alongside the judging panel to ensure each competition is conducted fairly.
Over three consecutive days, contestants will compete in three sections: Super Memory, Speed Reading, and Mind Mapping. The sections are divided by age group: teenagers (13-17 years old); adults (18-59 years old); seniors (over 60 years old); and children (12 years old and under).
This year, the Vietnamese team has the largest number of contestants, especially in the children and youth age groups. In the age group over 60, Vietnam has 3 out of 4 contestants competing in the Mind Mapping category and 4 out of 6 contestants competing in the Super Memory category.
Dominic O'Brien answers candidates' questions before the exam.
Photo: Phan Diep
This is the first time the World Memory Championship has used computers instead of paper.
Photo: Phan Diep
What are mental sports ?
World record holder Nguyen Phung Phong – Vice President of the World Council on Mind Sports – stated: Mind sports are a group of professional competitive sports that utilize thinking skills, memory, information processing speed, and strategic abilities instead of physical strength. These sports are organized with a system of rules, referees, scoring, international standards, and athlete rankings similar to traditional sports.
Depending on the international system, intellectual sports encompass many categories, the most popular of which currently include: memory sports, speed reading, and mind mapping. Other categories include: chess, Go, Chinese chess, professional checkers, quick thinking math, and logic puzzles.
Contestant Dang Ngoc Phuong Trinh - the reigning Vietnamese memory champion - is ready for the super memory challenge.
Photo: Phan Diep
Foreign candidates expressed joy and relaxation before the exam.
Photo: Phan Diep
Mr. Phong further shared that intellectual sports will take place with an examination including: internationally standardized rules, unified worldwide. Referees will be trained and certified, and the exam papers and questions will be standardized. The scoring system will be transparent, and athletes will be ranked. In addition, athletes will compete in each sport and category, and will be scored based on criteria such as speed, accuracy, information recall ability, systemic thinking ability, creativity, and time-pressure problem-solving skills.
Intellectual sports also train players to have a stronger memory, long-term and short-term recall, and high concentration; superior information processing speed, fast reading ability, quick analysis and problem-solving skills; and enhanced creativity and systemic thinking.
Mongolia had the second highest number of participants, after Vietnam.
Photo: Pham Huu
Older contestants (over 60) from abroad and Vietnam will meet at the 2025 World Memory Championship.
Photo: Pham Huu
Young contestants receive instructions from the referee before the exam.
Photo: Pham Huu
Mind mapping, in particular, helps players improve their emotional control and performance under pressure. Athletes must control their mindset, breathing, and maintain alertness. Self-learning ability and personal discipline are essential for daily training with a clear training plan.
"In this age of information explosion, the strongest person is not the one who knows the most, but the one who can process information the fastest and most accurately. Intellectual sports are the scientific and systematic way to train those abilities," Mr. Phong shared.
The 34th World Memory Championship, organized by the World Records Alliance (WorldKings), the Vietnam Memory Organization, and Tam Tri Luc Education Group, under the supervision of the International Arbitration Council (GOMSA), has officially opened, with media sponsorship from Thanh Nien Newspaper and Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV).
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ben-trong-dau-truong-nao-bo-giai-vo-dich-sieu-tri-nho-2025-co-gi-185251212154722643.htm
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