The "Golden" boy of the International Chemistry Olympiad of Vinh Phuc

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

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

Many days after winning the Gold Medal at the Abu Rayhan Biruni International Chemistry Olympiad 2025 held in the Republic of Uzbekistan, Trinh Duc Anh, a 12th grade Chemistry student at Vinh Phuc High School for the Gifted, is still overwhelmed, emotional, and proud of having contributed to bringing glory to the Fatherland. Trinh Duc Anh is one of four contestants of the Vietnamese team participating in this year's competition.

Having a passion for Chemistry

Trinh Duc Anh was born and raised in a studious family in Tam Hop commune, Binh Xuyen district. His parents were very interested in his studies, but did not put too much pressure on his academic performance, so Duc Anh could comfortably study what he loved and his parents were always there to support him.

Becoming the “golden boy” of Chemistry, but Duc Anh’s initial passion and choice was not Chemistry but Mathematics. During his primary and secondary school years, Duc Anh was passionate about numbers, geometry and always wanted to find answers faster and better solutions.

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

With intelligence, diligence, a love of learning, and a desire to explore in-depth knowledge in new subjects, Duc Anh won second prize in the district-level Chemistry competition in grade 8; first prize at the district level and an encouragement prize at the provincial level in grade 9 and passed the entrance exam to grade 10 specializing in Chemistry at Vinh Phuc High School for the Gifted.

Duc Anh said that to study Chemistry well, one must first learn the nature of the subject thoroughly and understand each problem. In particular, one must always seriously absorb the lectures of teachers, while at the same time promoting self-study ability and self-discipline.

“I apply the Pomodoro method (study for 50 minutes, then take a 10-minute break) to stay focused and avoid burnout. I seek out many sources of documents, learn from seniors, and actively practice exam questions to improve my knowledge and consolidate my skills,” Duc Anh shared.

With his own efforts and hard work, in grade 12, Duc Anh won first prize in the provincial excellent student selection exam and second prize in the national excellent student competition in Chemistry and was selected by the Vietnam Chemical Association as one of four members representing the Vietnamese team to compete in the Abu Rayhan-Biruni International Chemistry Olympiad in 2025.

Conquer your dreams

Sharing his feelings when he was selected as one of the four members representing the Vietnamese team to compete in the International Chemistry Olympiad, Duc Anh said: When I was selected to be part of the team competing internationally, I was extremely happy because my efforts in studying over the past time have been rewarded and I feel that the efforts my teachers have put in for me are not "meaningless."

However, because it was my first time participating in an international competition, I felt a bit of pressure. But that was also the motivation for me to review and try harder to bring home the best results to represent Vietnam.

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

The Abu Rayhan Biruni International Chemistry Olympiad was held in the Republic of Uzbekistan this year from May 28 to June 4, 2025, bringing together more than 110 contestants from many countries around the world . The competition consists of two rounds: theory and practice with a test time of more than 5 hours.

Recalling the stressful moments during the exam, Duc Anh shared: “The first difficulty I encountered during the exam was the time. We had to do the theory and practice test within 5 hours, so it required high concentration for a long time. During the practical exam, I had difficulty with the 3-way squeezer (a tool inserted into a pipette to help suck up the solution). Because the squeezer was new, it was quite stiff and required a lot of force to use, and I had to use both hands to squeeze. After that day, my hands were tired, my muscles were tense, and it was difficult to hold a pen, but I still tried to complete the theory test well. At that time, I just thought that I could not give up, could not 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 burst into happiness and joy when he heard his name announced as the winner of the Gold Medal at the 2025 International Chemistry Olympiad.

“Until now, the feeling of pride and happiness when holding the Vietnamese flag on the podium to receive the Gold Medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad is still intact in me. I feel that my efforts have finally paid off and I have partly repaid the efforts that my teachers and parents have put in. I am so proud to be able to raise the Vietnamese flag high in front of my friends in the international arena,” Duc Anh recalls.

Accompanying Duc Anh from the first years of entering the Chemistry class of Vinh Phuc High School for the Gifted, teacher Tran Hoai Thu, Duc Anh's homeroom teacher, said: Duc Anh is a well-behaved, quiet but very witty student. Duc Anh shows many qualities and has a special passion for Chemistry.

Duc Anh arranges his study time very scientifically, always strives to improve and is eager to learn from friends and teachers. That helps Duc Anh always achieve good results in Chemistry, many times becoming champion in his specialized subject. It is that diligence and effort that has brought Duc Anh to excellent academic achievements and made him the first student of Vinh Phuc to win the International Chemistry Gold Medal.

Sharing his plans for the future, Duc Anh said he will enroll in the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, majoring in Microelectronics and Nanotechnology, to fulfill his dream of doing scientific research and exploring advanced techniques. 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