Taiwan students bagged four golds at the 29th International Biology Olympiad July 15-22 in Iran, guiding the country to equal first at the world’s largest annual biology contest for high schoolers.
 
The medalists are Chen Yun-chen from Tainan First Senior High School in the southern Taiwan city, Cheng Yu-chi from Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School, Lu Chen-yu from Kaohsiung Municipal Senior High School in the southern Taiwan city and Shen Geng-yu from National Hualien Senior High School in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County.

Chen was Taiwan’s top performer, claiming third in the individual rankings, while Cheng, Lu and Shen finished fifth, seventh and 24th, respectively. Lu, the only female contestant in the event, collected her third gold at a global science competition, following victories at International Chemistry Olympiad in 2016 and the International Junior Science Olympiad in 2015.
 
The IBO, which involved 269 students from 68 countries and territories, comprises a practical and theoretical exam. Participants are given a combined score, with the top 10 percent earning gold; top 30 percent, silver; and top 60 percent, bronze.
 
According to the Ministry of Education, Team Taiwan was selected from 3,386 local secondary students over four rounds of qualifiers. The country has excelled at the IBO since its first appearance in 1999, mainly finishing in the top three and bagging 58 golds, 19 silvers and three bronzes to date.

Under an MOE program for international science Olympiad participants, gold medalists qualify for an incentive of NT$200,000 (US$6,608). They also gain admission to the biology department of any Taiwan university without examination. (SFC-E)