Giang Trung Minh Duc: Vietnam’s Informatics Trailblazer
Giang Trung Minh Duc has emerged as the pinnacle achiever in Informatics within Vietnam, a title he garnered following years of dedication that often saw him immersed in coding for up to ten hours daily.
On January 19th, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Duc and his peers found themselves in a state of anxious anticipation in the computer lab of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted.
They persistently refreshed their screens, eagerly awaiting the outcome of the national excellent-student examination. Once the results were unveiled, they hurried to the nearest terminal.
Candidate No. 04 was hailed as the first-prize winner, securing an impressive 32.557 out of a possible 40 points. Overwhelmed with disbelief, Duc leaped up from his seat.
“This completely took me by surprise,” he remarked, still wrestling with the shock. “For a moment, I was frozen. Then the realization hit, and I just yelled, ‘I’m the top scorer!’”
This marked Duc’s third endeavor at the examination. Following his first-place finish the previous year, he had set his sights on advancing to Round 2—the selection phase for the Vietnamese team at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI). However, achieving the status of national top scorer was an unforeseen delight.
Duc’s journey into the realm of Informatics began in the eighth grade, sparked initially by a blend of curiosity and an affinity for video games.
Initially envisioning Informatics as confined to basic software applications or web design, his perspective broadened dramatically when he began learning under Nguyen Thanh Tung, his homeroom teacher and the coach of the school’s Informatics team.
Exposure to competitive programming and algorithmic challenges, combined with tales of prior students’ triumphs, inspired Duc to delve deeper into the field.
What captivated him, Duc shared, were the challenges inherent within the discipline.
“They’re intricate yet engaging,” he explained. “Even when I find myself mulling over problems or experimenting for hours, it doesn’t induce stress.”
Nonetheless, early obstacles posed a significant test to his enthusiasm. Initially, Duc failed to secure a place on his school’s city-level competition team.
Undeterred, he persevered, passing the entrance exam to join Hanoi-Amsterdam’s Informatics track in 2023 and gaining selection for the national team as early as Grade 10.
As the youngest participant, Duc faced considerable challenges in keeping pace. During his inaugural national examination, nerves overwhelmed him.
He struggled with typographical errors, unwittingly deleted crucial lines of code, and ultimately completed the exam without any accolades.
“That was a moment of profound self-doubt,” Duc reflected.
In his penultimate year, he responded with renewed vigor. He concentrated on minimizing errors, enhancing his coding speed and precision, and cultivating endurance.
Many days saw him dedicating 8 to 10 hours to study and practice, often continuing late into the night. Some problems required him two to three days of contemplation to resolve fully.
His determination bore fruit; last year, he reclaimed his stature by clinching first prize.
By the time of this year’s examination, Duc approached it with a greater sense of composure. Confident in his coding agility, he allocated more energy towards in-depth analytical reasoning and algorithmic design.
One of his favorite problems featured an algorithm centered around gift-wrapping for Santa Claus. Confronted with time constraints, he strategically decided to tackle other problems first before revisiting this one. His method proved efficacious.
Conversely, the most formidable obstacle presented itself in the form of a geometry challenge involving circles—a subject for which he felt unprepared.
“Upon reading it, I was taken aback. It felt wholly unfamiliar,” Duc admitted.
This initial discomfort prompted a cautious approach. He secured points on other tasks first, returning to the geometry question later, managing to complete part of it using a conservative technique.
Duc articulated a straightforward strategy: mitigate unnecessary risks.
“In coding, a mere oversight can spell disaster,” he noted. “I’d prefer to double-check than venture beyond my capabilities.”
Ultimately, his final score aligned with his anticipations.
Teacher Nguyen Thanh Tung commended Duc not only for his sharp intellect but also for his fervor and tenacity.
“There are days when he dedicates nearly all his time to coding,” Tung remarked. “When faced with a daunting problem, he remains relentless, contemplating it for days on end.”
As Duc prepares his applications for universities abroad, aspiring to specialize in computer science or optimization, his immediate focus remains firmly fixed on Round 2 of the national selection for international competition.
“I’m elated,” he expressed, “but the pressure is substantial. Each examination presents new challenges, and I must pour every ounce of effort into it.”
Source link: E.vnexpress.net.
