Three Irish students win bronze in international chemistry contest

Three Irish secondary school students have won bronze awards at an international chemistry competition in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday.

Michael Hong, Diarmuid O’Donoghue and Alicia Huntley were awarded bronze medals at the annual International Chemistry Olympiad this week in Thailand.

The top four Irish students from a national chemistry competition held in Dublin City University (DCU) in April travelled to compete in the olympiad.

Michael Hong is a secondary school student from the Methodist College Belfast, Diarmuid O’Donoghue attends Ashton School in Cork city, and Alicia Huntley is from Regents Grammar School, in Newtownards, Co Down. The three students all received bronze medals, from a field of 297 students, who came from 76 countries.

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International tournament

Irish chemistry finalist Aaron Hannon, from St Muredach’s College in Ballina, Co Mayo, also travelled and competed in the international tournament.

The four students were accompanied by Dr Cormac Quigley of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), who was the Irish chemistry team's head mentor. Dr Mercedes Vazquez from DCU also travelled with the team.

The four students are flying home to Dublin Airport on Saturday evening.

Dr Quigley said: “The competition is the culmination of national competitions in each nation, the students selected representing the best secondary school students at chemistry in their country.

“The Irish students’ achievement is a testament to their hard work and that of their teachers and schools and the mentors who train them,” he said.

Countries send their four top secondary school chemistry students to the international Olympiad, where they test their knowledge in a five-hour laboratory practical exam and a five-hour written theory exam.