Truong Thanh Xuan, a student in the 11th-grade math class at Bac Ninh High School for the Gifted, has made a remarkable breakthrough to become one of six students selected for Vietnam’s 2025 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) team. She is also the first female student to join the national math team in the past 10 years.

In the recent National Excellent Student Exam, Xuan competed above her grade level and earned second prize with a score of 27.5, becoming the highest-scoring female member of the Bac Ninh math team.

At the IMO 2025 selection competition, Thanh Xuan secured her place among the six-member team. She is one of only two 11th graders on the team and the sole female member - a significant milestone after a decade of all-male national teams.

Speaking to VietNamNet, Thanh Xuan shared her surprise and excitement upon learning she had made the national team: “When I was in 10th grade, I didn’t plan to join the math team, so I started much later than other members. That meant I had to work hard on my own to fill in the knowledge gaps. In class, I listened carefully to my teachers, read many materials on my own, and took online courses. My classmates also helped me a lot. I usually study at night. On days when I’m tired, I sleep early. On good days, I study until 2:30 a.m.”

Xuan said she studies math out of pure passion and doesn’t pressure herself too much. For her, competing in the excellent student team was a learning experience - to gain exposure, sharpen her skills, and keep improving.

Her key to success is staying clear-headed and confident - walking into the exam room with the knowledge she has accumulated. To her, studying math at the national level is a tough journey because the subject is extremely challenging.

“There were times I couldn’t solve a problem no matter how long I tried, and I felt helpless. What kept me from giving up was maintaining enthusiasm for the subject. Whenever I felt too discouraged, I’d stop studying, go for a walk, or rest. Sometimes, I’d jog or cook with my mom. I’m lucky to have a supportive family - they are my emotional anchor. Looking back, I realize it’s the trust and support from those around me that kept me going,” Xuan reflected.

For the upcoming IMO, Xuan hopes to win a prize and dreams of studying abroad in the U.S. or Singapore if given the opportunity.

“To study math effectively, it’s not about grinding endlessly or doing tons of problems - it’s about understanding,” she said. “You need to train your mind to think critically. For problems you don’t know how to solve, you must constantly ask yourself, ‘Why this approach?’ or ‘What’s the optimal way to solve it?’ I believe deeply understanding one problem is more valuable than solving many without grasping them.”

Speaking to VietNamNet, Nguyen Van Tuan, head of the 2024–2025 math team at Bac Ninh High School for the Gifted, said Xuan was one of three students who had a slow start, as reflected in the scores from the first two evaluation rounds.

“But she didn’t let that discourage her,” said Tuan. “Xuan made a surprising comeback. She studied diligently but in a relaxed and composed manner, and her results began to improve steadily. During the inter-school competition among six specialized high schools, she rose to second place in our team.”

He added that Xuan is exceptionally intelligent, has a strong academic foundation, listens attentively, takes thorough notes, and is confident in handling challenging situations.

“She never gives up on hard problems, always learning from friends and teachers, and building her own experience. I hope Xuan will achieve excellent results at the international competition,” he said.

Hoang Thanh