Vietnam Secures 6 Medals at International Mathematical Olympiad 2026, Achieving Top Performance

Vietnam's national team has achieved a remarkable success at the 2026 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), securing a total of 6 medals: 2 Gold, 3 Silver, and 1 Bronze. This marks one of Vietnam's best-ever performances at the IMO, ranking them 5th among 119 participating countries and territories in an unofficial capacity. The achievement highlights the success of Vietnam's education system, particularly in nurturing talent in mathematics. The national team comprised 6 students selected from the northern, central, and southern regions of the country. The Gold medals were awarded to Nguyen Dinh Tung, a 12th-grader from the High School for Gifted Students, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (36 points), and Nguyen Le Nhat Nam, a 12th-grader from the High School for Gifted Students, Hanoi National University of Education (30 points). Notably, Nguyen Dinh Tung successfully upgraded his medal from Silver last year to Gold this year. Silver medals went to Pham Dang Nguyen, a 12th-grader from Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted (28 points); Tran Dai Thanh Danh, a 12th-grader from the High School for the Gifted, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (27 points); and Nguyen Hoang Phuong, an 11th-grader from Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted, Nghe An province (27 points). Ha Manh Hung, an 11th-grader from Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, secured the Bronze medal (20 points). The 67th IMO was held in Shanghai, China, from July 10th to 21st, with 666 contestants from 119 countries and territories. The competition spanned two days, with each day lasting 4.5 hours. This year's exam featured 6 problems: 2 in number theory, 2 in combinatorics, 1 in geometry, and 1 in algebra. The problems, particularly in number theory, heavily incorporated combinatorial thinking, reflecting a recent trend where combinatorics is increasingly integrated into various mathematical disciplines. With a total score of 168 points, the Vietnamese team ranked 5th unofficially, following China, the United States, Russia, and Singapore. This is a significant improvement from their 9th place finish in the 2025 IMO. This success can be attributed to Vietnam's state-led education policies under its one-party system and continuous investment in nurturing talented individuals. Enhancing international competitiveness in science and technology is also closely aligned with Vietnam's economic growth strategy. Geographical and historical proximity to China may also be a factor in considering influences and exchanges in mathematics education.