site.btaBulgarian Students Win 9 Medals at International, European Physics Olympiads

Bulgarian students won a total of nine medals at the International Physics Olympiad in Iran and the European Physics Olympiad in Georgia, the Education Ministry said on Monday. 

A total of 198 students from 46 countries took part in the competition in the Iranian city of Isfahan. Bulgarian participants won one silver and four bronze medals. 

Bayan Gechev from the Sofia High School of Mathematics won the silver medal, and the eleventh grader Yunsin Hu from the same school took bronze. The other bronze medalists are Georgi Kostadinov from the High School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in Burgas, Geo Kalfov from the First Private Mathematical High School in Sofia and Ilia Nikov from the High School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in Veliko Tarnovo.

The Olympiad was held in two rounds, theoretical and experimental. The team was led by Prof. Miroslav Abrashev and Assoc. Prof. Neno Todorov from the Faculty of Physics of the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia.

A day before leaving for Iran, the best Bulgarian physics students returned from the European Physics Olympiad in Kutaisi, Georgia, with one silver and three bronze medals in a record large 54-nation competition.

Bayan Gechev won silver, the bronze medals went to Geo Kalfov, Georgi Kostadinov and Ilia Nikov. The team was led by Assoc. Prof. Neno Todorov and Georgi Alexandrov from Sofia University's Faculty of Physics. 

The competition was held in two rounds, theoretical and experimental, each lasting five hours. This is the seventh edition of the international tournament, which is becoming increasingly popular and attracts countries outside Europe.

In 2025, Sofia will host the European Physics Olympiad.