Road to Olympia Mount: Hanoi Schoolboy Surges to 300 Points

The Week 2, Month 1, Quarter IV contest featured four male students from across the country: Cao Minh Phuc (Nguyen Hue High School for the Gifted, Hanoi), Huynh Tan Khiem (Luong Van Chanh High School for the Gifted, Dak Lak), Truong Cong Huy (Hoang Mai High School, Nghe An), and Phan Thong Thai (Le Hoai Don High School, Vinh Long).

(Photo: Road to Olympia Mount Fanpage)

The race was closely contested from the Warm-up round. Truong Cong Huy took  an early lead with 50 points, followed closely by Huynh Tan Khiem with 45. Cao Minh Phuc had 40 points, while Phan Thong Thai  had  10 with plenty of opportunities still ahead.

In the 10-letter Overcome Obstacle round, Tan Khiem selected the first clue. After just one piece of the puzzle was revealed, both  Minh Phuc and Tan Khiem   gave the right answer  but Minh Phuc was quicker  to ring the bell and answered correctly, moved into the lead with 100 points. After the round, Tan Khiem had 55 points, Cong Huy remained on 50, and Thong Thai increased his total to 20.

As expected, the Speed-up round significantly  reshuffled the standings. Cao Minh Phuc produced an outstanding performance,   extending his lead to 240 points. Huynh Tan Khiem followed with 155, Phan Thong Thai climbed to 100, while Truong Cong Huy remained on 50.

The decisive Finish round began with Minh Phuc, who selected three 20-point questions. The Hanoi student answered the opening question quickly and correctly, earning another 20 points, but missed the other  two   questions, ending his turn on 260 points.

Huynh Tan Khiem then chose the same three-question 20-point package but was unable to score on any of them. On the final question, Minh Phuc successfully rang the bell with the correct answer, taking his total to 270.

Phan Thong Thai was the third contestant to enter the Finish round with a 20-20-30-point package. His first question again became an opportunity for Minh Phuc, who answered correctly, to add another 20 points. Thong Thai then scored on the second question. On the final question, which carried a Hope Star, the Vinh Long student was unsuccessful.

Truong Cong Huy closed the competition choosing three 20-point questions. He missed the first. On Cong Huy’s second question, an English-language challenge, Minh Phuc rang the bell and answered correctly, officially reaching the 300-point mark. Cong Huy later answered the final question correctly, finishing the contest on a high.

Photo: Road to Olympia Mount Fanpage

After all four rounds, Cao Minh Phuc topped the standings with 300 points, followed by Huynh Tan Khiem with 135, Phan Thong Thai with 60, and Truong Cong Huy with 35.

With consistent form throughout the contest and an ability to capitalize on opportunities in the Finish round, Cao Minh Phuc secured the laurel wreath for Week 2, Month 1, Quarter IV of the 26th Road to Olympia Mount.