Vietnam enters top 5 at International Mathematical Olympiad

With two gold, three silver, and one bronze medals, the Vietnamese team surpassed South Korea to rank 5th among 119 delegations at the 2026 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), trailing only China, the US, Russia, and Singapore.

The Department of Quality Management, Ministry of Education and Training, announced the results on the afternoon of 19/7.

The recipients of the two gold medals are Nguyen Dinh Tung (grade 12, High School for Gifted Students, Vietnam National University, Hanoi) and Nguyen Le Nhat Nam (grade 12, High School for Gifted Students, Hanoi National University of Education).

Tung scored 36 out of 42 points, achieving perfect scores on five problems and ranking 14th among approximately 666 contestants. Nhat Nam scored 30 points, placing 34th. Tung had previously won a silver medal at last year's IMO.

Three silver medals were awarded to Pham Dang Nguyen (grade 12, Hanoi - Amsterdam High School), Tran Dai Thanh Danh (grade 12, High School for the Gifted, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City), and Nguyen Hoang Phuong (grade 11, Phan Boi Chau High School, Nghe An). Their scores ranged from 27 to 28 points.

Ha Manh Hung (grade 11, Hanoi - Amsterdam High School) earned a bronze medal with 20 points.

With a total score of 168 points, the Vietnamese team secured 5th place out of 119 participating countries and territories at IMO 2026. The top teams were China (232 points), the US (207), Russia (196), and Singapore (169 points).

The IMO has been held annually since 1959, with Vietnam first participating in 1974. This year's competition took place from 13/7 to 21/7 in Shanghai, China, featuring two official examination days. Contestants were required to solve six problems, each worth seven points. The exam included two arithmetic problems, two combinatorics problems, one geometry problem, and one algebra problem, maintaining a structure similar to last year's.

"Many problems classified as arithmetic or algebra also incorporate a blend of different content, especially combinatorics", the Ministry stated.

Last year, Vietnamese students won two gold, three silver, and one bronze medals, ranking 9th among 110 delegations.