The "Gold" Boy of Vinh Phuc at the International Chemistry Olympiad.

Trinh Duc Anh, a student from Vinh Phuc Specialized High School, won the Gold Medal at the 2025 Abu Rayhan Biruni International Chemistry Olympiad, proudly contributing to bringing glory to the nation.

VietnamPlus•17/06/2025

Trinh Duc Anh always takes his teachers' lectures seriously. (Photo: VNA)

Trinh Duc Anh always takes his teachers' lectures seriously. (Photo: VNA)

Many days after winning the Gold Medal at the 2025 Abu Rayhan Biruni International Chemistry Olympiad held in the Republic of Uzbekistan, Trinh Duc Anh, a 12th-grade chemistry student from Vinh Phuc Specialized High School, is still overwhelmed with emotion and pride for contributing to bringing glory to his country. Trinh Duc Anh was one of four contestants on the Vietnamese team participating in this year's competition.

I fell in love with Chemistry.

Trinh Duc Anh was born and raised in a studious family in Tam Hop commune, Binh Xuyen district. His parents were very concerned about his education, but they didn't put too much pressure on him regarding academic achievements, so Duc Anh could freely study what he loved, and his parents were always there to support him.

Although he became a "golden boy" in Chemistry, Duc Anh's initial passion and choice wasn't Chemistry, but Mathematics. During his elementary and middle school years, Duc Anh was fascinated by numbers and geometry, always yearning to find faster answers and better solutions.

However, the turning point that led Duc Anh to Chemistry was in the 2020-2021 school year, when the school did not organize a Math team for 8th grade students, and the subject teacher selected Duc Anh to join the school's Chemistry gifted student team.

With his intelligence, diligence, and thirst for knowledge, coupled with a desire to explore in-depth knowledge in new subjects, Duc Anh won second prize in the district-level chemistry competition for gifted students in 8th grade; first prize at the district level and a consolation prize at the provincial level in 9th grade; and passed the entrance exam to the 10th grade specialized chemistry class at Vinh Phuc High School for Gifted Students.

Duc Anh said that to excel in Chemistry, one must first thoroughly understand the subject's fundamentals and grasp each concept. In particular, it's crucial to seriously absorb the teacher's lectures, while also emphasizing self-study and self-discipline.

“I apply the Pomodoro method (50 minutes of study, 10 minutes of rest) to maintain focus and avoid burnout. I search for many resources, learn from seniors, and actively practice exam questions to improve my knowledge and strengthen my skills,” Duc Anh shared.

Thanks to his hard work and dedication, in his 12th grade year, Duc Anh won first prize in the provincial-level excellent student competition and second prize in the national-level excellent student competition in Chemistry. He was also selected by the Vietnam Chemical Society as one of the four members representing Vietnam at the Abu Rayhan-Biruni International Chemistry Olympiad in 2025.

Conquer your dreams

Sharing his feelings about being selected as one of the four members representing Vietnam at the International Chemistry Olympiad, Duc Anh said: "When I was chosen for the international competition, I was extremely happy because my efforts in studying over the past time have paid off, and I see that the efforts my teachers have put in for me have not been 'meaningless'."

However, since this is my first time participating in an international competition, I feel a bit pressured. But that also motivates me to study harder and strive to achieve the best possible results to represent Vietnam.

Trinh Duc Anh, a 12th-grade student from Vinh Phuc Specialized High School, won the Gold Medal at the 2025 Abu Rayhan Biruni International Chemistry Olympiad held in the Republic of Uzbekistan. (Photo: VNA)

The Abu Rayhan Biruni International Chemistry Olympiad, held in the Republic of Uzbekistan this year from May 28th to June 4th, 2025, brought together over 110 contestants from many countries around the world . The competition consisted of two rounds: theory and practical, with a total duration of over 5 hours.

Recalling the stressful moments during the exam, Duc Anh shared: “The first difficulty I faced was the time constraint. We had to complete both the theoretical and practical exams within 5 hours, requiring intense concentration for an extended period. In the practical exam, I struggled with the three-way bulb (a device inserted into a pipette to draw up liquids). Because it was new, the bulb was quite stiff and required a lot of force to use, and I needed both hands to squeeze it. After that day, both my hands were aching and my muscles were strained, making it difficult to hold a pen, but I still tried my best to complete the theoretical exam. At that time, I only thought that I couldn't give up, I couldn't let down the efforts of my teachers and parents who had high hopes for me.”

And the results did not disappoint Duc Anh's efforts. Duc Anh was overwhelmed with happiness and joy when he heard his name announced as the winner of the Gold Medal at the 2025 International Chemistry Olympiad.

“Even now, the feeling of pride and happiness I felt when I held the Vietnamese flag on the podium to receive the Gold Medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad remains intact. I feel that my efforts have finally borne fruit, and I have repaid, in some way, the hard work that my teachers and parents have put in. I am truly proud to be able to raise the Vietnamese flag in front of my friends on the international stage,” Duc Anh recalled.

Having accompanied Duc Anh since his early years in the specialized Chemistry class at Vinh Phuc High School for the Gifted, Ms. Tran Hoai Thu, Duc Anh's homeroom teacher, said: "Duc Anh is a well-behaved, quiet but very witty student. He shows many qualities and has a special passion for Chemistry."

Duc Anh manages his study time very scientifically , always striving for improvement and eager to learn from friends and teachers. This has helped him consistently achieve excellent results in Chemistry, winning the championship in his specialized subject many times. It is this diligence and effort that has led Duc Anh to outstanding academic achievements and made him the first student from Vinh Phuc to win a Gold Medal in the International Chemistry Olympiad.

Sharing his future plans, Duc Anh said he will enroll at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, majoring in Microelectronics Engineering and Nanotechnology, to pursue his dream of conducting scientific research and exploring advanced technologies. Currently, Duc Anh is actively studying English to seek more opportunities to study abroad and discover new knowledge.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/chang-trai-vang-olympic-hoa-hoc-quoc-te-cua-vinh-phuc-post1044615.vnp