Journey to conquer the peak of the International Chemistry Olympiad of a male student from Bac Ninh

From passion for English to 'golden boy' who wants to become a

Winning the Gold Medal at the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad with the highest score of the Vietnamese delegation and ranking 17th in the world, Nguyen Huu Tien Hung - a former student of Bac Ninh High School for the Gifted (Bac Ninh province), has become a strong source of inspiration for perseverance, self-study spirit and innovation in learning.

Nguyen Huu Tien Hung - former student of Bac Ninh High School for the Gifted (Bac Ninh province).

    

What is special is that Hung's initial passion was not Chemistry but English. During his primary school years, he spent a lot of time improving his foreign language, communicating fluently and reading English documents to supplement his studies. By the 6th and 7th grades, Hung set a goal of participating in the Provincial Excellent Student Competition in English.

However, the turning point came in 8th grade, when he gradually became interested in Biology, with the dream of becoming a doctor. But then, the attraction of chemical reactions drew Hung in a completely new direction. He began to study more deeply, fascinated with experiments and scientific principles behind life phenomena.

The journey of perseverance and self-learning spirit

Entering grade 9, Hung decided to try his hand at the school's Chemistry team. Compared to his friends who had been on the team since grade 8, Hung started later, which meant he had to work much harder. Every day, after class, he borrowed his friends' notebooks to take notes, reviewed basic knowledge on his own, and persistently asked his teachers and friends about things he didn't understand.

Nguyen Huu Tien Hung and head teacher Vu Thi Len after returning from the International Chemistry Olympiad. Photo: HA QUAN

Not only studying from textbooks, Hung also actively reads English documents online, especially Chemistry books from prestigious universities such as Organic Chemistry by David Klein. This knowledge helps Hung expand his understanding and form a systematic scientific mindset.

Nguyen Huu Tien Hung (Hanoi Medical University), with his tireless efforts and many outstanding achievements, Hung is one of the outstanding young faces in the top 19 nominees for the 'Outstanding Young Vietnamese Faces 2024' Award.

With perseverance, Tien Hung excellently won the First Prize in the Provincial Chemistry Competition for 9th graders. This achievement helped him to be admitted directly to the specialized Chemistry class of Bac Ninh Specialized High School and continue his journey to conquer the pinnacle of knowledge.

Conquer the big arenas

In the early days of joining the high school chemistry team, Hung continued to face challenges when his initial scores were not high, even getting only 20/40 points on one test. Not discouraged, he set himself strict discipline, arranged his study time reasonably and continuously improved his knowledge.

In grade 11, Tien Hung won second prize in the National Chemistry Competition for Excellent Students, followed by a Gold Medal at the Asian Chemistry Olympiad. These achievements were important stepping stones to help him gain more confidence on his journey to conquer the world's top.

Nguyen Huu Tien Hung at the Party admission ceremony.

Entering grade 12, Hung continued to affirm his talent when he won the first prize in the National Excellent Student in Chemistry. He became one of four members of the Vietnamese team participating in the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad.

At this prestigious competition, Hung excellently brought home the Gold Medal with the highest score of the Vietnamese delegation, ranking 17th in the world. This is not only the result of intelligence but also a testament to perseverance, self-study spirit and burning passion for science.

Scientific learning method and life balance

Hung shared that to study Chemistry well, it is important to have a solid grasp of the basic knowledge and understand the nature of the problem. He spends about 3 hours a day on Chemistry, while balancing his time studying other subjects. According to Hung, Math, Physics, and Biology are subjects that complement Chemistry very well, helping to broaden his thinking and ability to apply knowledge.

Not only is Hung good at his profession, he also has a scientific study habit. He limits staying up late and makes a reasonable study plan to both achieve high efficiency and maintain good health. When stressed, Hung often listens to music, reads books or exercises to balance his mind.

During the days of intense preparation for the International Chemistry Olympiad, Hung received great joy – being admitted to the Communist Party of Vietnam. On June 3, 2024, at Bac Ninh High School for the Gifted, he officially became a party member, marking an important turning point in his life.

The Gold Medal of the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad is not only a source of pride for Nguyen Huu Tien Hung but also a strong source of encouragement for young people on the journey to conquer their dreams. Currently, Hung is a first-year student at Hanoi Medical University. Although he has the opportunity to study abroad, the "Golden Boy" of Chemistry chose to "land" at this dream school, to pursue the goal of becoming a good doctor, curing and saving people.

Source: https://svvn.tienphong.vn/hanh-trinh-chinh-phuc-dinh-cao-olympic-hoa-hoc-quoc-te-cua-nam-sinh-bac-ninh-post1723964.tpo