“Golden Boy” of Chemistry Olympiad, contributing to the glory of the land of scholars

After many days of competing on the international stage, Nguyen Huu Tien Hung, the gold medalist of the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad (ICHO) held in Saudi Arabia, returned home to the joy, emotion, and pride of his family, teachers, and numerous friends from Bac Ninh Specialized High School. Hung's gold medal has contributed to glorifying the tradition of academic excellence in Bac Ninh - Kinh Bac region. Once again, the intellect and courage of Bac Ninh students shine brightly, reaching international standards.

Nguyen Huu Tien Hung is surrounded by family, teachers, and friends after the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad.

Surrounded by the love and support of his family, teachers, and friends, Nguyen Huu Tien Hung, a young man with a bright face and gentle smile, emotionally shared: "I am grateful for the care and companionship of my family, school, teachers, and friends. All of you have been a great source of encouragement for me throughout this challenging yet incredibly meaningful journey. I hope this will be a good starting point for me to continue pursuing my passion for chemistry and fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a doctor to heal and save lives."

This medal is a testament to unwavering perseverance.

With his outstanding achievement of winning a Gold Medal at the 2004 International Chemistry Olympiad and being the highest-scoring contestant in the Vietnamese delegation, contributing to the national chemistry team's second-place finish in the world , Nguyen Huu Tien Hung has written a beautiful story of youth, about aspirations and success achieved through persistent effort.

Portrait of the "Golden Boy" of the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad.

The "golden boy" of the Chemistry Olympiad said: "Since childhood, I've had a special passion for natural sciences and dreamed of becoming a good doctor to cure people. But to achieve today's results, my journey into chemistry has been a long story."

Hung recounted: "In 6th and 7th grade, I worked hard to excel in English so I could participate in the provincial-level gifted student competition at the end of the school year. From 8th grade onwards, I dreamed of becoming a doctor, so I shifted my focus to studying biology. In 9th grade, thanks to the encouragement of my older sister, who was then a chemistry student at Bac Ninh Specialized High School, I joined the chemistry team. And that same school year, I won first prize in the Bac Ninh provincial-level gifted student competition in chemistry and was directly admitted to the 10th grade specialized chemistry class at Bac Ninh Specialized High School."

And it was at Bac Ninh Specialized High School—a place with excellent academic quality, a highly competitive learning environment, and a team of teachers who always encourage and develop the special talents of students—that Nguyen Huu Tien Hung had more opportunities to explore and learn about the fascinating aspects of chemistry.

“I am very passionate about Chemistry because it allows me to experience the fascination of chemical reactions that create vibrant colors, precipitation, evaporation… When studying this subject, I can easily explain things and phenomena, research the composition, structure, properties, and changes of matter. It is very close to everyone's life. In particular, this is a subject with many applications in life and is the backbone of industry,” Hung shared.

Tien Hung and Ms. Vu Thi Len, the homeroom teacher at the exam.

For Hung, chemistry is just like any other subject; therefore, to study well, one needs to understand the root of the problem, grasp the fundamental knowledge, and from there, solve difficult problems. And this is exactly the learning method Hung applied at the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad. Hung said: "When I first received the exam paper, I was a little confused because the exam had many new points, requiring candidates to have the ability to think comprehensively and perform the manipulation skills accurately. However, remembering the guidance of my teachers to solve problems from the foundational knowledge, with the motto of doing the easy problems first, then the difficult ones, and being sure of what I could do, I always felt relaxed after the exam and achieved good results."

Through diligent study and persistent participation in intellectual competitions, Nguyen Huu Tien Hung has amassed an impressive record. From winning first prize in the Bac Ninh Provincial Chemistry Olympiad in 9th grade; second prize in the National High School Chemistry Olympiad; a Gold Medal at the Asian Chemistry Olympiad in 11th grade; and first prize in the National High School Chemistry Olympiad in 12th grade, these achievements have paved the way for Tien Hung to have the opportunity to make his mark internationally at the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad.

The motivation to continue breaking through and reaching further.

Accompanying and closely following Hung in national and international competitions, and witnessing his outstanding growth, Ms. Vu Thi Len, Hung's homeroom teacher, shared: "At Bac Ninh Specialized High School, teachers identify each student's strengths and weaknesses to develop appropriate educational methods and maximize their potential. With Nguyen Huu Tien Hung, right from the beginning of 10th grade, he showed all-around talent and a special love and passion for Chemistry. He organizes his daily schedule very scientifically, allocating time for exercise, self-study of subjects, and especially Chemistry, which helps him consistently achieve the best results in his class. In addition, the province's excellent support policies also provide great motivation for Hung and his classmates to strive for excellence."

Nguyen Huu Tien Hung had the honor of joining the Party before even entering university.

With exceptionally outstanding achievements, in June, the Party Branch of Bac Ninh Specialized High School held a ceremony to admit outstanding student Nguyen Huu Tien Hung as a Party member. Honored to join the Party ranks, Tien Hung shared: "Becoming a Party member before entering university is a special milestone for me. I feel more mature and responsible in my thoughts and actions. In the future, I will study at Hanoi Medical University to continue pursuing my dream of becoming a skilled doctor, curing diseases and saving lives."

Following his son's every step, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hoa, the parent of Nguyen Huu Tien Hung, couldn't hide his emotion: "Watching the live broadcast of the awards ceremony, the moment my son's name was called, winning the most prestigious Gold Medal of the competition, the whole family was overwhelmed with emotion. It's a well-deserved reward for my son's efforts, but it's also Hung's way of repaying the teachers' dedication and the province's investment in advanced education."

Over the past three years, Bac Ninh's education and training sector has made significant strides, affirming its leading position through the quality of teaching and learning. Prior to Nguyen Huu Tien Hung, Bac Ninh had 3 students win Gold Medals, 3 Silver Medals, and 6 Bronze Medals in regional and international Olympiad competitions in physics, chemistry, mathematics, and other subjects.

Leaders of the Department of Education and Training, along with teachers, welcomed Nguyen Van Hoang, the Bronze Medalist at the 2024 International Mathematical Olympiad.

In the 2023-2024 National High School Excellent Student Selection Exam, Bac Ninh province had 79 out of 86 students winning awards, achieving a success rate of 91.9% of participating students, ranking second nationwide. Three students from Bac Ninh province have been selected for the National Olympic Team to compete at regional and international levels, and the joy continues as they all achieved excellent results. These include Nguyen Cong Vinh, who won a Bronze Medal at the 2024 European Physics Olympiad; Nguyen Van Hoang, who won a Bronze Medal at the 2024 International Mathematical Olympiad; and Nguyen Huu Tien Hung, the "golden boy," as mentioned above.

Like the "striving spirit of Phu Dong," the outstanding achievements in advanced education at both national and international levels in Bac Ninh have further illuminated the faith and hope of generations of students in the Kinh Bac region as they strive towards the future and continue the tradition of academic excellence.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/chang-trai-vang-olympic-hoa-hoc-gop-phan-rang-danh-vung-dat-khoa-bang-post822222.html