Four high school students from Beijing, China, who represented China at the third International Nuclear Science Olympiad (INSO) for the first time, pose for a group photo with their medals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on August 8, 2026. Photo: Screenshot from the Xinhua News Agency

China won one gold and three silver medals at the third International Nuclear Science Olympiad (INSO) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, marking the country's debut at the competition, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The four-member Chinese team ranked among the top participating countries. The eight-day event brought together teams from 19 countries, with theoretical and experimental exams covering nuclear physics, radiation protection and nuclear fuel, among others, reported Xinhua.

Organizing committee representative Talal Alrashidi welcomed China's participation, saying the students delivered an outstanding performance and demonstrated the positive spirit of Chinese youth.

Gold medalist Liu Siqi, a student from Beijing No. 80 High School's Wangjing Campus, said competing with outstanding young people worldwide has "strengthened my determination to study hard and scale new heights in science."

"We will continue to strengthen the popularization of nuclear science and encourage more outstanding young people to learn about, understand and participate in the nuclear field," Wang Peng, head of the Chinese delegation, deputy chief economist of the China Institute of Nuclear Industry Strategy, and president of the China Atomic Energy Press, was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

INSO is currently a leading nuclear science competition for secondary-school students, promoting scientific excellence and international cooperation in the field of nuclear science and technology. INSO is organized with support from the International Atomic Energy Agency, in collaboration with host governments and partner institutions. It is modeled after other international science olympiads, such as the International Physics Olympiad and the International Chemistry Olympiad, but focuses specifically on nuclear science and its peaceful uses, according to the official INSO website.

As the world's first youth Olympiad dedicated to nuclear science, INSO aims to stimulate young people's interest in the field and promote international exchanges, said Xinhua.

Global Times