Vietnamese student wins Olympiad gold in informatics

Pham Duc Thang, from the High School for Gifted Students under the Hanoi University for Science, was the gold medal winner, the education ministry announced Friday.

All four members of the Vietnamese contigent, all 12th graders, won medals at the contest.

Hoang Xuan Nhat from the High School for the Gifted under Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City won a silver medal. Nguyen Hoang Hai Minh and Nguyen Khanh, both Thang's schoolmates, won two bronze medals.

With its latest performance, Vietnam was ranked 12th in the world and second in Southeast Asia, after Singapore which won one old, two silver and one bronze medals. At last year’s informatics Olympiad, Vietnamese contestants won one gold and two bronze medals.

The results show the correct orientation of the Vietnamese government in developing education in the country, and also reflects the efforts that schools, teachers and students have expended in achieving such excellence, an education ministry official said.

The 30th annual International Informatics Olympiad between September 1-8 was joined by 335 candidates from 87 countries and territories. A total of 167 medals were won - 29 gold, 55 silver and 83 bronze.