Studying together at Bac Giang Specialized High School, Than The Cong, Truong Phi Hung, and Giap Vu Son Ha all won gold medals at the International Physics and Chemistry Olympiads.
Than The Cong, Truong Phi Hung and their gold medals at the International Physics Olympiad - Photo: HA QUAN
Students Than The Cong and Truong Phi Hung (classmates in 12th grade physics at Bac Giang Specialized High School, Bac Giang province) have just won a gold medal at the 2024 International Physics Olympiad held in Iran.Furthermore, in the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad in Saudi Arabia, Giap Vu Son Ha - a 12th-grade chemistry student from Bac Giang High School for Gifted Students - also excellently won a gold medal.
Pay attention to every small detail.
Smiling, Truong Phi Hung told the Tuoi Tre reporter that when he learned the results, he was overwhelmed with emotion and happiness because his hard work over the past time had paid off.
With a solid mathematical foundation and good preparation, Hung wasn't overwhelmed by the theory part of the exam in Iran (July 21-29), only slightly worried about the practical part on temperature measurement. This was because it was a difficult, new problem with many steps and no chance to redo it. Having spent most of his time reviewing theory, Hung only had about two months for practical work. Therefore, he spent many evenings in the laboratory honing his skills.
Hung always prioritizes self-learning and meticulousness. Even small details like adjusting the laboratory platform to ensure it's straight or checking for exposed wires are important. Despite his impressive achievements, Hung says he still feels apprehensive when discussing Albert Einstein's theory of relativity or geometrical optics.
"To excel in physics, I believe a strong foundation in mathematics is essential because mathematics is the language of physics. Mathematics clearly explains physics. Physics is a subject where theory goes hand in hand with practice; understanding phenomena is key to true comprehension. If you study in a one-way manner, memorizing facts, you won't progress far," shared Truong Phi Hung.
Competing in the International Olympiad with a learning mindset and a desire to interact with international friends, Hung shared a lot about Vietnam's country, climate, and people, and didn't forget to share his "secrets" to studying well.
For example, Vietnamese teachers inspire and diligently teach, but instead of immediately correcting assignments, they require students to present their solutions based on their personal understanding. Instead of passively correcting assignments or providing answers, they guide and offer feedback step-by-step, pointing out logical errors in thinking...
In return, many members of the Russian Olympic team talked about how they instilled discipline and order. This included a yellow card system. If a student was late or behaved rudely, they would receive a yellow card. Two yellow cards would result in a red card and expulsion from the team.
I remind myself that I'm wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey.
As Hung's close friend and classmate for three years in high school, and having shared meals with him during the selection process, Than The Cong expressed his concern, despite having a solid grasp of the material, because international exam questions often span many pages.
With extensive exam experience, Cong carefully took the time to double-check each figure and step of the process, looking for any illogical parts of the presentation to avoid losing points, reminding himself that he was wearing the Vietnamese national team's jersey.
Cong revealed that he usually sets goals early on, investing in a strong foundation in mathematics and developing sharp physics thinking skills. From junior high school, Cong was curious and inquisitive, asking his teachers about phenomena such as why it rains, why rainbows have many colors, and where electricity comes from...
Cong recounted that when he encountered a difficult problem with new knowledge, he stayed up until 2 or 3 in the morning thinking about it, eventually falling asleep from exhaustion. Not giving up, the next morning, the student approached his teacher for clarification, listening until he fully understood.
"I've always been determined to study and improve my English so that I can become a physicist or electrical engineer in the future..." - Than The Cong shared.
Speaking of their friendship, Hung and Cong enthusiastically reminisced about their disagreements over lessons and problem-solving approaches. Hung aspires to become an IT engineer, while Cong aims to become an electrical engineer or a physics researcher in the future. Despite their busy schedules, the two friends still find time for relaxation, such as going to the movies, listening to music, taking walks, and strolling through the streets.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Doa, a physics teacher at Bac Giang Specialized High School, both Truong Phi Hung and Than The Cong demonstrated good abilities, knowledge, and competitive spirit against very talented contestants from China, Russia, India, and other countries.
However, the two students sometimes made calculation errors, skimmed through the material, or skipped easy questions, leading to lost points. Therefore, the teacher and students often sat down to discuss and point out the mistakes so they could correct them. Teacher Doa said that physics requires passion, sharp mathematical thinking, and a constant need to ask "why."
"The physical phenomenon is already known; students must memorize the general knowledge and the fundamental nature of physics, plus hone their mathematical thinking skills to quickly arrive at the result...", the teacher said.
Son Ha and the gold medal in international chemistry.
In the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad in Saudi Arabia, Giap Vu Son Ha from Bac Giang High School for Gifted Students also excellently won a gold medal.
Son Ha said that the exam had many difficult, new, and unfamiliar parts, but thanks to a stable mindset, deep breathing, and sufficient water intake, she was in the best mood to do well. However, Ha regretted deleting one answer because she was "unsure," as the result of that answer turned out to be correct later.
"After class, I select the most important and core knowledge to delve deeper into through books and online resources. Evenings are the ideal time to review old material because it's quiet. Depending on the nature of the exam, the time will vary. If it's a tight period, I maintain my study schedule from 7 PM to midnight to maintain high intensity and get used to the pressure of the exam. After a stressful study period, I will reduce my study time by 1-2 hours to conserve energy," Ha shared.
Still wearing his white lab coat in the laboratory, Mr. Vuong Truong Son - a chemistry teacher at Bac Giang Specialized High School - said that Son Ha is very intelligent, creative, confident, capable of self-discovery, self-reading, self-research, overcoming weaknesses, and passionate about chemistry.
From the 10th grade onwards, Ha always completed her assignments quickly, and then went on to learn new things. To achieve high grades, Ha was trained and mentored by her teachers, especially in practical skills.
Simple rubber flip-flops
Teacher Nguyen Duy Phuong said he was very impressed with the three students because of their habit of wearing flip-flops. Despite their high achievements, none of them showed any signs of being stars; instead, they were sociable, down-to-earth, and well-behaved. "I even told them that when the course ends, they should give me back the flip-flops they used to wear. I want to tell future generations that these students were so brilliant but very down-to-earth, wearing cheap flip-flops. That doesn't mean they aren't brilliant; they still shine," Mr. Phuong said enthusiastically.An unprecedented miracle.
Giap Vu Son Ha (center) practices in the laboratory under the guidance of his teachers - Photo: HA QUAN
According to Mr. Nguyen Duy Phuong, principal of Bac Giang Specialized High School, the fact that three of the school's students won gold medals in the international Olympiad is an unprecedented achievement. "Upon receiving the news, not only I, but also the teachers, students, and the Bac Giang education sector were overjoyed, excited, and proud of our students," Mr. Phuong said. This achievement is thanks to the attention and investment in education by Bac Giang province, such as increasing the number of professor teaching sessions, providing scholarships, and the policy of building high-quality key schools in the junior high school level... With this achievement, the three students, Than The Cong, Truong Phi Hung, and Giap Vu Son Ha, received certificates of merit and cash prizes (nearly 121.7 million VND/person) from the Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Giang province. They also received valuable gifts and money from local authorities, the education promotion association, the Bac Giang hometown association, university representatives, and philanthropists... Similarly, the two teachers who directly mentored them, Nguyen Van Doa and Vuong Truong Son, also received certificates of merit and cash prizes.Tuoitre.vn
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ba-nam-sinh-cung-truong-gat-huy-chuong-vang-olympic-quoc-te-20240804003713044.htm
