Phu Tho student reaches Olympia final for the first time

Ly Thai Duong, a student from Phu Tho, secured a spot in the Road to Olympia final on Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, marking a first for the province.

On 26/4, the second quarter competition of Road to Olympia aired, featuring four contestants: Ly Thai Duong from Hung Vuong High School for the Gifted, Phu Tho; Doan Tri Anh from Dan Phuong High School, Hanoi; Nguyen Su Minh Khoi from Dong Ha High School, Quang Tri; and Tran Nguyen Duc from High School for the Gifted, University of Natural Sciences, Hanoi.

Before the competition, Thai Duong shared that his greatest motivation was his Phu Tho heritage. With the quarter-final broadcast coinciding with Hung Kings' Commemoration Day (the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month), he hoped to bring the television bridge (a live broadcast connection to his hometown) back to his homeland.

Thai Duong shared his determination before the competition. Photo: VTV screenshot

In the Warm-up round, each contestant faced individual questions (six questions) and group questions (15 questions), covering natural sciences, social sciences, culture-sports-arts, and current events.

Tri Anh impressed by correctly answering 5/6 individual questions, while Minh Khoi, Thai Duong, and Nguyen Duc only answered 1-3 questions correctly.

During the group questions, Tri Anh and Minh Khoi excelled in pressing the bell to answer. However, neither effectively utilized their opportunities. At the end of this round, Tri Anh still led with 45 points, closely followed by Minh Khoi with 30 points. Thai Duong and Nguyen Duc had 15 points and 10 points respectively.

The turning point of the match came in the Overcoming Obstacles round. Contestants had to find a 25-letter keyword using four horizontal words and suggestive image clues.

Just seconds after the host read the first horizontal question, Thai Duong surprisingly pressed the bell and provided the answer for the obstacle: "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom."

Duong explained that his only clue was the answer to the first question about a square named after a Vietnamese dignitary, inaugurated on 29/7/2025 in Russia. The studio audience went from stunned silence when Duong pressed the bell to erupting in joy when the host announced his answer was correct.

Following this round, the lead changed hands. Thai Duong surged ahead with 75 points, while the other three contestants' scores remained unchanged.

In the Acceleration round, contestants utilized only three of four scoring opportunities. A question about countries with populations over 100 million stumped all four. Thai Duong maintained steady performance, adding 90 points to solidify his lead with 165 points. Nguyen Duc significantly improved his performance, moving into second place with 90 points. Meanwhile, Tri Anh had 85 points, and Minh Khoi held 60 points.

Entering the Finish Line round, Thai Duong chose a safe strategy with three 20-point questions. He scored an additional 40 points but allowed Tri Anh to gain 20 points, concluding his turn with 185 points.

With 105 points, Tri Anh selected an 80-point question package. He answered only one 30-point question correctly but lost an equivalent amount when Nguyen Duc gained the right to answer another question. Ultimately, Tri Anh maintained his score of 105 points.

Nguyen Duc's turn was dramatic. He chose a 70-point question package while holding 120 points. Duc answered two questions correctly and effectively utilized the "star of hope" (a bonus point mechanism) to take the lead with 190 points.

Overcome by Nguyen Duc, Thai Duong tried to score points during Minh Khoi's turn to reclaim the lead. He pressed the bell two times to answer. The first time, Duong answered correctly, scoring an additional 30 points, bringing his total to 215 points.

The second time, both he and Nguyen Duc pressed the bell. Thai Duong pressed faster, but his answer was incorrect, resulting in a 15-point deduction.

With a final score of 200 points, 10 points more than Nguyen Duc, Thai Duong won the laurel wreath.

Thai Duong and the winner of the first quarter competition, Gia Bao from Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted - Dong Hai, Khanh Hoa, are the first two contestants for the 26th annual Road to Olympia final.