The closing ceremony of the 57th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) took place on Sunday, 13 July, in Dubai, marking the end of two weeks of intense scientific competition. This year’s edition brought together top young chemists from 88 countries around the world.

Each nation is allowed to send up to four representatives, selected through their respective National Chemistry Olympiads. Before the competition, all participants underwent a two-week training programme, focused on preparatory problems provided by the IChO organisers.

During the competition, Poland was represented by Marek Gajownik, a recent graduate of the XII Maria and Georg Dietrich Secondary School in Olsztyn, who was mentored by Mateusz Musiejuk, Juliusz Szczeszek-Bistuła, who completed his studies at the Henryk Sienkiewicz School Complex in Pajęczno, who was trained by Ms Krystyna Baryczka. Mikołaj Sobczak, a graduate of the Queen Saint Jadwiga Foundation Private Secondary School in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, who was prepared by Stefan Twarowski, Dominik Duch (a bronze medallist at the 54th IChO), Karol Illinicz-Zeydel (a laureate of the 68th Polish Chemistry Olympiad), Michał Trochimiuk-Szczepkowski, from the Stanisław Staszic Secondary School No. XIV in Warsaw, supported by Agnieszka Kuś and Tomasz Boiński.

Following the official opening ceremony, all contestants left their electronic devices and were isolated from their national mentors. These mentors became part of the international jury, which was responsible for reviewing and translating the competition problems into each team’s native language and later for assessing the students’ solutions.

After the marking of all works, participants were ranked by score. Approximately 10% of competitors are awarded gold medals, 20% receive silver, 30% take home bronze, and a further 10% receive honourable mentions.

This year, the Polish team won one gold medal, one silver medal, and two bronze medals.

The golden medal went to Marek Gajownik from Olsztyn.

Source: Gazeta Olsztyńska

Photo: Facebook Gazety Olsztyńskiej

Tomasz Modrzejewski