This achievement is particularly notable because Toan, a first-year student in the Physics talent program at the University of Science, VNU-HCM, was among the youngest competitors and a former chemistry major.
The 2025 National Student Physics Olympiad, held in late November, drew over 300 students from 43 universities and academies nationwide. Teams competed in three sections: multiple choice, practical, and essay. Unlike previous years, students could participate in all three rounds, and the exam questions were enhanced to emphasize application and deep critical thinking. The essay was the only individual component.
"I was quite confident in my essay. However, when I was informed I won first prize, I was still very surprised", Toan shared.
According to the university, Toan's score was the highest in the competition.
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Nguyen Khanh Toan. *Photo: Provided by subject* |
Khanh Toan is a former student of the Chemistry specialized class at Nguyen Tat Thanh High School for the Gifted in Quang Ngai. He won third prize in the national chemistry olympiad in 12th grade and was admitted to the University of Science with a graduation exam score of 28,25 for block A00 (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry).
Toan's path to Physics was a matter of fate. While preparing for the chemistry olympiad, he had to study physical chemistry and found physics intriguing, offering deeper insights into natural phenomena. This is also when Toan realized his passion and aptitude for the subject. To broaden his knowledge, he often read books and watched videos about physics phenomena online.
"I really enjoy discovering how things like batteries and speakers work. From that, I want to delve deeper into the field of Physics", Toan said.
Soon after enrolling, Toan boldly registered for the university's Student Physics Olympiad team. In early November, he was informed that he had passed the selection round and began one month of intensive training.
Toan felt this period was not overly stressful. He and his team attended school for about one to two sessions each week, each lasting three to four hours. Closer to the exam day, he focused all his energy on reviewing all theory, dedicating four to six hours daily to reading general physics textbooks.
The essay round took place first, with candidates answering four questions in 180 minutes, covering topics related to car motion, the thermodynamics of a "bathysphere", the motion of charges in an electromagnetic field, and the alpha radiation of polonium (a highly toxic radioactive metal).
On the second exam day, Toan and his teammates participated in the multiple choice and practical rounds. For the multiple choice section, 20 questions were displayed sequentially on screen, and each team had two minutes to buzz in with an answer. As scores constantly changed, the competition atmosphere grew increasingly intense and lively.
Afterward, teams moved to the final round, completing two practical questions in three hours, investigating the motion of water in a cup when the cup is displaced, and the oscillation of a rigid body.
Khanh Toan remarked that the exam was well-balanced, with knowledge primarily expanded from lower-level programs and related to general university physics. He completed the essay section 30 minutes early and achieved the highest score, 30,5 out of 40 points.
Teacher Nguyen Tri Toan Phuc, head of the University of Science, VNU-HCM delegation at the National Student Physics Olympiad, described his student as intelligent and having sharp physics thinking.
"Khanh Toan is often curious and asks many profound questions about everything around him", the teacher shared.
Despite just entering university in a new field, Khanh Toan stated he has not encountered many difficulties with the curriculum, often achieving scores of 8-9 in subjects. He plans to participate in more scientific research competitions if opportunities arise.
"I find this field very practical and interesting; later I will delve deeper into teaching or research", Toan said.
Hai Yen
