China Wins 3 Golds, 1 Silver at 38th International Olympiad in Informatics
The Chinese national team secured an outstanding result at the 38th International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI 2026), winning three gold medals and one silver medal while claiming first place in the team standings. The competition concluded on August 15 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with nearly 400 contestants from over 90 countries and territories participating, according to Xinhua News.
A Dominant Performance
Held from August 9-15 at the CAEx Central Asian Expocenter in Tashkent, IOI 2026 brought together 375 finalists from 92 countries and territories in what organizers describe as the most prestigious computer science competition for secondary school and high school students worldwide. Contestants faced two official competition days, solving complex problems in algorithm design, data structures, and programming implementation.
China’s Xu Qiwen delivered the standout performance of the tournament, finishing first globally with 498.27 points out of a possible 600—the highest score of the entire competition. According to the official results, teammate Zhao Shenghao secured third place with 473.53 points, while Liu Jiawei finished 13th with 409.56 points. He Yuxiang completed the team’s medal haul with a silver medal, ranking 38th with 355.47 points.
A Comeback Story
Xu Qiwen, a student at Nanjing Foreign Language School, described his road to the championship as full of twists and turns. Speaking after the competition, he acknowledged that his first-day performance fell short of expectations, leaving him nervous before the second day of competition. “Fortunately, I stabilized my mindset in the second competition and successfully completed the comeback,” he said, as reported by Guancha.cn.
Reflecting on what drives his sustained excellence, Xu emphasized passion and environment. “The main reason I can maintain my efforts is because of passion,” he explained. “At Nanjing Foreign Language School, there are many peers who truly love informatics and teachers who truly understand informatics. We collectively enjoy the process of algorithm competitions.”
Selection and Preparation
The Chinese team was selected through a rigorous multi-stage process culminating at the NOI Winter Camp 2026 in Qingdao, Shandong Province. According to the NOI official website, the team was officially announced on February 12, 2026, following a series of elimination rounds that narrowed 30 candidates down to the final four. The team was led by Dr. Zhao Qiyang, Chair of the NOI Scientific Committee at Beihang University, with Professor Jiang Tingting serving as deputy team leader.
Zhao Shenghao’s selection marked a notable milestone for Zhejiang Province, which has established itself as a powerhouse in informatics education. According to the Zhejiang Science and Technology Association, this marked the fifth consecutive year a Zhejiang student has been selected for the national team, and the 30th since the province first participated in 2004. The province has cultivated 26 international gold medal winners, ranking first nationally.
Competitive Landscape
China’s dominance was evident from the first competition day. According to the Uzbekistan Ministry of Digital Technologies, China led the opening day with an average score of 246.90 points, well ahead of Australia (211.75), Japan (210.50), and the United States (205.50). While China’s first-day average declined by 47.09 points compared to 2025, the team maintained a significant lead over its closest competitors.
Among the 375 finalists, 188 contestants received medals—32 gold, 62 silver, and 94 bronze—representing 50 percent of participants. An additional 42 contestants received certificates of commendation. Russia, Belarus, Israel, and Turkmenistan competed under the Olympic flag.
Looking Ahead
China’s performance at IOI 2026 continues its strong tradition in competitive programming, reflecting the country’s emphasis on STEM education and computer science training. The result underscores the depth of China’s talent pipeline in informatics, from provincial training programs to national team selection.
The next International Olympiad in Informatics will be held in Germany, where China will look to defend its position at the top of the global competitive programming standings.