![During the closing ceremony. Photo courtesy of ipho2014.kz.](/userdata/news_en/2014/news_254789/thumb_b/photo_41909.jpg)
High school students from Kazakhstan have won 3 gold and 2 silver medals at the 45th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) participated by 383 students from 85 countries, Tengrinews reports. The IPhO was held from July 13 to 21 at the Nazarbayev University in Astana.
High school students from Kazakhstan have won 3 gold and 2 silver medals at the 45th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) participated by 383 students from 85 countries, Tengrinews reports. The IPhO was held from July 13 to 21 at the Nazarbayev University in Astana.
Amir Bralin, Nurislam Tursynbek, and Danat Issa won the gold medals. Kurmantayev Daulet and Nurbek Dinmuhammed became the silver prize-winners. It is not the first time they represent Kazakhstan at international events. Previously, they won prizes at the International Zhautykov Olympiad, Asian Physics Olympiad, and National Olympiad.
In the unofficial team standings Kazakhstan was ranked 8th, and China, Taiwan and South Korea were the Top 3. IPhO is a competition between individuals only, because an international physics community does not want to introduce a rivalry between nations, thus, officially there is no team result. Each team consists of five students and two supervisors.
"The Olympiad was both challenging and interesting. The participants were very intelligent. Students from East Asia are our main competitors. Take China for example, every year they bring five contestants, and every year, these of these five win gold medals. This year, South Korea showed excellent results, too," a gold winner from Kazakhstan Danat Issa said.
At the opening ceremony of the Olympiad, Dr. Hans Jordens, President of the International Physics Olympiad, said that Kazakhstan had managed to bring 85 countries into one place emphasizing that it was the largest number of participants that IPhO had ever seen. "Kazakhstan had less then two years to organize the Olympiad. They already had a history of organising such event, so we were confident that Kazakhstan would succeed in this one, too. In 2006, Kazakhstan hosted the Asian Physics Olympiad, and in 2010 - the International Mathematics Olympiad," he said at the opening ceremony of the IPhO 2014.
Kazakhstan's Minister of Education Aslan Sarinzhipov and Dr. Hans Jordens attended the awarding ceremony held at The Palace of Peace and Accord in Astana.
"We are proud of all of you. (...) Kazakhstan is now passing the privilege to host the IPhO to the city of Mumbai, India. Let us continue to encourage young people's interest and love to Physics." the Minister said, congratulating the participants, their team leaders and observers with the completion of the IPhO 2014 in Astana.
He expressed hope that the young talents would continue representing their countries at international events and making the world a better place to live in.
In the end of the ceremony, the Kazakhstani delegation passed on the official flag of the IPhO and the IPhO Book, in which Astana was declared the world capital of physics in 2014, to the Indian delagation as India is hosting the IPhO 2015. The Book started in Estonia, continued in Denmark and passed on to Kazakhstan, and now to India.
The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) is an annual physics competition among high school students. PhO is held since 1967 in recognition of the growing significance of physics in all fields of science and technology, and in the general education of young people. The first such competition was held in Warsaw (Poland) in 1967 which brought five Central European countries together: Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Poland. Kazakhstan began participating in the competition in 1997.
The Olympiad consists of theoretical and experimental parts, which makes it more complicated and expensive to organise compared to other international olympiads.
The competition lasts for two days. On the first day the students solve theoretical problems (three problems involving at least four areas of physics taught in high school), and on the second day they solve experimental problems (one or two problems). On both stages they get five hours to solve the problems.
This year, 85 countries were taking part in the IPhO, the highest number ever. 383 high school students and 252 group leaders, observers and visitors arrived in Astana to participate in the Olympiad. Apart from their official mission, the delegates visited Astana's major sights such as Kazakhstan's National Museum, the Museum of the First President of Kazakhstan, Baiterek Monument. Besides, the participants visited Burabay resort area located 225 km from Astana where they could enjoy Kazakhstan's culture, taste Kazakh national food, and listen to Kazakh national music.
The 45th IPHO was organised by Kazakhstan's Ministry of Education and Science, Daryn national research and practical center for talented children, and the Nazarbayev University. Exxon Mobil Kazakhstan was the sponsor of the event.
Writing by Assel Satubaldina, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina