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| Tran Le Thien Nhan and Tran Trung Hieu (center) at the Asian Physics Olympiad |
Fruits of a persistent journey
A warm summer noon at Phu Bai International Airport saw students and teachers of Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted greet two top achievers returning from the 2025 Asian Physics Olympiad with cheers and heartfelt hugs. After a long journey from Saudi Arabia, Tran Le Thien Nhan (a 12th grader in Physics Class 1) and Tran Trung Hieu (a 12th grader in Physics Class 2) brought home two prestigious medals—a silver and a bronze—helping Vietnam’s national team rank among the top five performing countries. More than a personal triumph, their achievement stands as a milestone in the resilient comeback of physics on the international stage.
Ms. Truong Thi Doan Trang, Head of the Physics Section at Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted, expressed her joy: “We had already recognized their potential, but when we heard that both students had won medals at the Asian Physics Olympiad, and especially that Tran Le Thien Nhan would go on to the International Physics Olympiad, our joy was truly overwhelming. This achievement stems from the efforts made by the students, along with the dedicated investment from the school and teachers in nurturing top-performing students.”
The 25th Asian Physics Olympiad took place from May 4 to 12 in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, bringing together 208 contestants from 30 delegations representing 29 countries and territories. Vietnam was represented by eight students, including two from Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted — a rare honor in itself, made even more remarkable by the fact that both brought home medals. A silver medal went to Tran Le Thien Nhan, and a bronze to Tran Trung Hieu. Notably, Thien Nhan has since been selected to represent Vietnam at the 2025 International Physics Olympiad, set to take place in Paris this July.
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| Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted welcomed back two award-winning students |
Behind each medal lies a tireless journey shared by both teachers and students at this tradition-rich institution. Every achievement is a fusion of talent, passion, academic discipline, and structured training. Mr. Nguyen Phu Tho, Principal of Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted, shared: “Securing a place on the International Olympiad team is no easy feat. Only five students are selected, based on their total scores from both the national team selection exam and the Asian Physics Olympiad. The race is intense, with scores often neck and neck. That’s why our school adopts a strategy to identify and nurture talent from an early stage.”
Alongside biology, physics has earned Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted numerous medals at international Olympiads. In 2004, Hoang Ngoc Thach won a bronze at the International Physics Olympiad. In 2010, Dinh Anh Minh stood out as the only member of the Vietnamese team to win a gold medal. Since 2019, five students from Quoc Hoc have competed in the Asian Physics Olympiad. In 2025, two students earned medals, and Tran Le Thien Nhan secured a spot on Vietnam’s national team for the International Physics Olympiad — marking a strong comeback for physics on the global stage.
From passion to grit
The comeback of physics marks a milestone that reflects the well-directed training strategy of Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted. As soon as students enter the school, subject teachers actively scout for promising students and outline a roadmap for their long-term development. Early selection and focused training significantly increase students’ chances of success in competitions. Students participate in academic contests to sharpen their skills, while steadily acquiring specialized knowledge through an enhanced curriculum, international resources, and guidance from top-tier experts and educators invited by the school.
According to Ms. Truong Thi Doan Trang, Head of the Physics Section at Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted, the school’s achievements stem from a strategic plan to identify and nurture gifted students from an early stage. Students are tracked from their early participation in city-level academic contests in Grade 9, and their performance in the Grade 10 entrance exam helps determine their eligibility for advanced training. In Grade 10, they continue to compete in the Coastal and Red River Delta Regional Competitions. By Grade 11, selected students join the national team. These competitions provide critical exposure and help students grow academically. To achieve outstanding results, students need more than passion; they must also possess talent, ability, and perseverance.
Those with outstanding potential receive enriched instruction, participate in supplementary sessions, and undergo intensive exam simulations to build confidence, sharpen their thinking, and refine their presentation skills. Alongside academic training, teachers strive to ignite students’ passion and interest in the subject by answering their questions, guiding them through challenging problems, and helping them develop independent learning skills.
One advantage for physics students is the school’s fully equipped laboratory. In years when students are selected for the Asian or International Physics Olympiads, the school makes a point of investing in experimental kits used in these competitions — regarded as the essence of the host country’s exam design — to further enhance its physics lab. Students selected for the national team or identified as potential candidates for international competitions are given hands-on training with international exam materials to become familiar with their structure and requirements.
With their recent achievements, Thien Nhan and Trung Hieu have become a source of pride for the 130-year-old school. Their medals are not merely personal accomplishments, but a testament to the school’s serious investment and long-term vision in nurturing talent. Thien Nhan’s upcoming participation in the International Physics Olympiad in Paris is set to open a new chapter on the journey of Quoc Hoc students onto the global stage.
To date, Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted has earned a total of eight awards at the International and Asian Physics Olympiads. These include one gold, one bronze, and one honorable mention at the International Olympiad, alongside two silvers, two bronzes, and one honorable mention at the Asian Olympiad.