Road to Olympia Mount: Ho Chi Minh City schoolboy claims laurel wreath after thrilling score chase

by VTV Times01 September 2026 Last updated at 05:38 AM

VTV.vn - The lead changed hands repeatedly throughout the contest. Ultimately, Pham Dang Thanh Binh emerged victorious with 175 points.

The Week 1, Month 2, Quarter IV contest of the 26th Road to Olympia Mount featured four newcomers: Nguyen Minh Duc (Foreign Language Specialized School under Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Le Truong Long (Bo Ha High School, Bac Ninh), Nguyen Le Huy (Nguyen Thien Thanh High School for the Gifted, Vinh Long), and Pham Dang Thanh Binh (Vo Minh Duc High School, Ho Chi Minh City).

Road to Olympia Mount: Ho Chi Minh City schoolboy claims laurel wreath after thrilling score chase - Ảnh 1.

Minh Duc got off to a strong start in the Warm-up round, taking an early lead with 70 points. Thanh Binh followed with 45, Truong Long had 35, while Le Huy stood on 15. With the gaps still relatively small, the contest remained wide open.

Road to Olympia Mount: Ho Chi Minh City schoolboy claims laurel wreath after thrilling score chase - Ảnh 2.

The seven-letter Overcome Obstacle round saw Minh Duc and Truong Long both answer the first horizontal clue correctly. After the first puzzle piece, none of the contestants attempted the keyword, and all four missed the second clue. However, Thanh Binh quickly rang the bell during the third question, correctly answered, and jumped  into the lead with 85 points.

After the round, Minh Duc had 80 points, Truong Long 45 and Le Huy 15.

Road to Olympia Mount: Ho Chi Minh City schoolboy claims laurel wreath after thrilling score chase - Ảnh 3.

The Speed-up round reshuffled the standings once again. Truong Long increased his score to 65, Thanh Binh reached 135, while Le Huy produced a strong surge to climb to 155. Minh Duc remained in front with 190 points, although the chasing pack had significantly narrowed the gap.

With 190 points, Minh Duc entered the Finish round first and selected three 20-point questions. He started well by answering the opening question correctly, earning another 20 points. However, he  missed the second, allowing Le Huy to ring the bell with the correct answer and close the gap. Minh Duc was also unable to score on the final question as well, while Truong Long successfully stole 20 points.

Road to Olympia Mount: Ho Chi Minh City schoolboy claims laurel wreath after thrilling score chase - Ảnh 4.

Le Huy then chose three 20-point questions. The Vinh Long schoolboy had another opportunity to improve his position but he missed the opening question. On the second question, an English-language one, Thanh Binh stole the points, triggering another change in the standings. Le Huy also failed to score on the final question, giving Thanh Binh another chance to add to his total.

Thanh Binh was next, selecting three 20-point questions. He  failed  the first one, and  no rival attempted   a steal. On the second, however, he answered correctly and moved into the lead.

Road to Olympia Mount: Ho Chi Minh City schoolboy claims laurel wreath after thrilling score chase - Ảnh 5.

Truong Long was the final contestant to enter the Finish round, choosing a  package of 20-, 30-, and 20-point questions. He got the opening question wrong, and Le Huy successfully stole it. Truong Long was again unable to answer the second and final question, either. He ended the contest with 55 points.

Road to Olympia Mount: Ho Chi Minh City schoolboy claims laurel wreath after thrilling score chase - Ảnh 6.

By the end of the competition, Thanh Binh was in the lead with 175 points. Minh Duc and Le Huy were tied with 155  points, and Truong Long finished with 55.

Showing composure in a contest marked by repeated changes at the top, and making the most of scoring opportunities in the Finish round, Pham Dang Thanh Binh claimed the laurel wreath in Week 1, Month 2, Quarter IV of the 26th Road to Olympia Mount with 175 points.

Road to Olympia Mount: Ho Chi Minh City schoolboy claims laurel wreath after thrilling score chase - Ảnh 7.

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