The first quarterfinal of Road to Olympia Mount Season 26 featured a dramatic showdown among four outstanding students: Nguyen Duc Anh (Nam Sach High School, Hai Phong), Hoang Anh Minh (Nguyen Hue High School, Hue), Tran Vo Gia Bao (Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted – Dong Hai, Khanh Hoa), and Nguyen Minh Tien (Quoc Oai High School, Hanoi).
The four contestants of Quarterfinal I, Road to Olympia Mount Season 26
In the Individual Warm-up round, Hoang Anh Minh made a strong impression by answering five consecutive questions correctly to earn a perfect 50 points. Gia Bao also started strongly with 50 points, while Minh Tien scored 20 points, and Duc Anh finished the round with 10 points.
After the General Warm-up, the standings shifted again. Gia Bao took the lead with 65 points, closely followed by Anh Minh with 60 points. Duc Anh had 20 points, while Minh Tien remained on 20 points after the first two rounds.
Contestants during the Warm-up round
The competition intensified in the Overcome Obstacle round when the six-letter keyword was gradually revealed. Minh Tien was the fastest to ring the bell at the third clue and gave the correct answer, “Doi Moi” (Renovation), unexpectedly jumping into the lead with 80 points.
Minh Tien correctly solves the keyword in the Overcome Obstacle round.
Gia Bao narrowly misses the correct answer.
In the Speed-up round, the lead changed hands repeatedly.
At the end of the Speed-up round, Anh Minh remained in the lead with 170 points, followed by Minh Tien with 140 points, Gia Bao with 135 points, and Duc Anh with 80 points.
A costly, incorrect answer shared by all four contestants
Hoang Anh Minh in the Finish round
Visible disappointment after the round
Minh Tien during the Finish round
Extreme tension during Gia Bao’s Finish round
The Khanh Hoa schoolboy celebrates after correctly answering the Hope Star question.
Nguyen Duc Anh in the Finish round
After all four rounds, the final scores were as follows: Nguyen Duc Anh - 40 points; Hoang Anh Minh - 155 points; Nguyen Minh Tien - 145 points, and Tran Vo Gia Bao - 175 points.
With an impressive late surge, Tran Vo Gia Bao, a student of Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted from Dong Hai in Khanh Hoa, claimed the laurel wreath in Quarterfinal I. This victory not only secured him a place in the Road to Olympia Mount Season 26 Grand Final but also made Khanh Hoa Province the season's first live broadcast location.
