The big picture: Saudi Arabia doubled its global academic achievements this week, as Saudi students earned 14 international awards across mathematics, biology, and chemistry competitions worldwide.
Why it matters: The victories highlight the Kingdom’s expanding competitiveness in international science forums. Furthermore, these results directly support Saudi Vision 2030 targets for human capability development.
Math Team Makes History in Shanghai
The Saudi mathematics team delivered its best result since joining the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in 2004. At the 67th IMO in Shanghai, China, the team won six medals; three silver and three bronze in the competition that featured 666 students from 117 countries.
This achievement brings Saudi Arabia’s total IMO medal count to 88. The tally now includes 15 silver medals, 51 bronze medals, and 22 honorable mentions.
Silver medalists include Youssef Ayman Bakheet (Royal Commission in Yanbu), Abdul Salam Abdullah Al-Salmi (Madinah), and Abdul Ilah Mohammed Al-Saqqaf (Jeddah). Bronze medalists are Elias Shaker Al-Faraj, Abdullah Tariq Al-Amer (Eastern Province), and Fares Mohammed Al-Kanhal (Riyadh).
Students underwent a year-long intensive training program. The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) supervised the preparation, partnering with the Ministry of Education. The program included theoretical and practical training, plus domestic and international camps.
Biology Team Adds Four More Awards
Saudi Arabia’s biology team also shined at the 37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO 2026) in Vilnius, Lithuania. The competition ran from 12 to 19 July, drawing 312 students from 80 countries.
The Kingdom participated for the fifth time. This year’s results push Saudi Arabia’s IBO total to 19 international awards: five silver medals, nine bronze medals, and five honorable mentions.
Taha Arshad Kadwai (Jeddah) won a silver medal. Hamza Mohammed Baessa (Riyadh) and Elias Fawzi Asloob (Jeddah) earned bronze medals. Faisal Saad Al-Abdullatif (Riyadh) received an honorable mention.
“The students underwent an intensive training journey within the Mawhiba International Olympiad Program over the course of a year,” the Saudi Press Agency reported. “It included multiple stages of theoretical and practical scientific training, along with internal and external camps. These aimed to develop their skills in advanced specializations and enhance their readiness for international competition.”
Chemistry Team Secures Four Medals in Tashkent
The Saudi chemistry team won four awards at the 58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO 2026) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The event hosted 363 students from 92 countries from 10 to 19 July.
Ali Ahmed Bawazir (Riyadh) and Ali Salem Al-Yami (Najran) won silver medals. Abdulaziz Badr Al-Juaeed (Madinah) and Mujtaba Abdul Ilah Al-Tarouti (Eastern Province) earned bronze medals.
This brings Saudi Arabia’s IChO total to 53 international awards: 17 silver medals, 34 bronze medals, and two honorable mentions.
Saudi Arabia Wins Bid to Host 2027 Physics Olympiad
Beyond the medals, the Kingdom secured the right to host the 57th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO 2027). The International Olympiad Council approved Saudi Arabia’s bid during the current 56th IPhO in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
This follows Saudi Arabia’s successful hosting of the 56th International Chemistry Olympiad in Riyadh (July 2024, 333 students from 90 countries) and the 25th Asian Physics Olympiad in Dhahran (May 2025, 240 students from 30 Asian countries).
The Kingdom will also host the 3rd International Nuclear Science Olympiad (INSO 2026) in Jeddah from 2 to 9 August.
These achievements align with Saudi Vision 2030’s human capability development goals. They solidify the Kingdom’s position as a global destination for international scientific events.
