Chemistry Olympiad

  • The 2023 NZ team: Isla Swanney (Nayland College), Jayden Kumar (Auckland Grammar), Oliver Gunson (Auckland Grammar), Cedric Siriwardana (ACG Sunderland).

     

The annual Chemistry Olympiad is an international chemistry competition for teams of four young people from around the world. The New Zealand team is selected, trained and coordinated as a collaboration between the universities and high schools.  The International Chemistry Olympiad, ICHO, started in Eastern Europe in 1968 and has grown to about 90 countries with New Zealand first competing in 1992.

The 56th Olympiad is to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 21-31 July 2024.

Selection of a training group is made around September/October of the previous year and is based upon performance in a selection test. It will next be held on 14 September 2023. The selection test assumes knowledge of only Year 12 (NCEA Level 2) Chemistry and is great preparation for these exams.

During term one, the training group will be enrolled in Piazza and Bestchoice so that they can work through a series of modules that extend their level of chemistry knowledge. A second exam in March is used to select the group of about 32 students (with no more than three students from any one school) for a training camp to be held in the April school break.

The initial NZCHO test in September is an opportunity for students to be challenged and test skills that will extend them and prepare them for the external exams.  Students will be awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates based on their level of achievement.  The results of this test will also be used to select the students in the NZCHO training group, however, the following additional criteria will apply.  

To be eligible, students must be under 20 and must be fully enrolled at high school prior to the IChO in July, but may do no more than 2 courses at University level (not chemistry) prior to the International competition. Students must be a NZ Citizen or permanent resident at the time of accepting a place in the training group and must have attended school in NZ for two of the last 4 years prior to selection for the training group. Students must also be at least 15 years of age at the time of the camp.

 

The New Zealand Chemistry Olympiad Trust is a member of the Science Olympianz Association.

Registration will now remain open until 7 September 2023. By registering for the entrance test you agree to the following conditions:

1. That you are prepared to conscientiously participate in the training programme. (This may involve about three to four hours study a week from January to March and, if selected, attending a training camp to be held in the April vacation).

2. If selected in the team of four students, you would you be available to travel to the International Chemistry Olympiad in July.

3. The Olympiad Trust will be trying to raise funds nationally. However it will also be necessary to fundraise locally. Up to $650 for the training camp and some travel expenses ($1000) for the Olympiad team members may be required to be raised locally by you. Naturally we will give you advice and help. You are prepared to meet these financial demands either directly or through fund-raising.

4. You have the support of school and parents to participate in the Olympiad training programme if selected.

5. You will be under 20 in July next year and to compete at the IChO you must be fully enrolled at high school prior to the IChO in July but may do no more than 2 courses at University level (not chemistry), prior to the International competition in July.

6. While students of all ages and nationalities can be in the training group. You are a NZ Citizen or permanent resident at the time of accepting a place in the camp and you will be at least 15 years of age at the time of the camp. You have also attended school in NZ for two of the last 4 years prior to selection for the camp.


The cost for registration is $40 + fees (the fees are donated to education charities). Contact us if you require invoicing. 


If you were in the training group previously, you do not need to sit the entry exam again, but you must confirm this to Dr Jan Giffney by email (jan@giffney.co.nz). You will also need to pay the $50 training group fee after the training group is announced.

Team 2023: 

Name  Position  Education Medal
Isla Swanney Team Nayland College Bronze 
Jayden Kumar Team Auckland Grammar Bronze
Oliver Gunson Team Auckland Grammar Silver
Cedric Siriwardana Team ACG Sunderland Bronze 

 

Team 2022: 

Name  Position  Education Medal
Ryaan Sidhu Team Auckland Grammar Bronze 
Liam Hall Team ACG Sunderland Silver 
Allan Han Team Macleans College Bronze 
Yifei Song Team Auckland International College Bronze 

 

Team 2021: Japan (online theory exam only)

Name  Position  Education Medal
Mason Liu Team Rangitoto College Bronze
Sam Zhuang  Team Kristin School Honourable mention
Abhinav Chawla Team Macleans College Honourable mention
Daniel Jang Team Kings College Honourable mention 
James Hui Reserve Macleans College  

 

Team 2019: Paris, France

Name  Position  Education Medal
Rayman Tang Team  Macleans College Bronze 
Jaqlin van Schalkwyk Team Kristin School Bronze 
Daniel Ahn Team Macleans College Highly commended 
Connor Gallagher Team St Peter’s College Bronze 

 

Team 2018: Bratislava, Slovakia; and Prague, the Czech Republic

Name  Position  Education Medal
Russell Boey Team   St Andrew’s College Bronze 
Callan Loomes Team Auckland Grammar School Bronze 
Steven Ma Team Auckland Grammar School Bronze 
Stefan Ivanov Team Westlake Boys High School

 

Team 2017: Bangkok, Thailand

Name  Position  Education Medal
 Janice Ho  Team   Macleans College, Auckland Bronze
 Zijun (Allen) Hui  Team  Macleans College, Auckland Silver
 Milidu Ratnayake  Team   Auckland Grammar School Bronze
 Sang (Harry) Yeom  Team  Auckland International College Bronze
 Dr Owen Curnow  Head Mentor  University of Canterbury  
 Dr Stephen McCracken  Mentor  Mt Roskill Grammar School  
 Katrina Graaf  Observer  University of Auckland  

 

Team 2016: Tbilisi, Georgia

Name  Position  Education Medal
 Ellena Black   Team   St Andrew’s College, Christchurch Bronze
 Lucas Lee  Team  Macleans College, Auckland Bronze
 Edward Liu  Team   Macleans College, Auckland Bronze
 Ben Zhang  Team  Macleans College, Auckland Bronze
 William Wang  Reserve  King’s College, Auckland  
 Dr Duncan McGillivray Mentors  University of Auckland  
 Dr Andrew (Buck) Rogers Mentors  St Peter’s College  

 

Team 2015: Baku, Azerbaijan

Name  Position  Education Medal
 Hugo Brown  Team   St Paul's Collegiate, Hamilton Bronze
 Brianna Nally  Team  James Hargest High School Bronze
 Thomas Chang  Team   Auckland Grammar Schoo Bronze
 David Kim  Team  Macleans College, Auckland Bronze
 Sam Frengley  Reserve  St Peter's School, Cambridge  
 Dr Jan Giffney Mentors  St Cuthbert's College  
 Dr Sheila Woodgate Mentors  University of Auckland
 Dr Allick Lal Observer  Macleans College

 

Team 2014: Hanoi, Vietnam

Name  Position  Education Medal
Isari Masuda Team  Auckland Grammar School Bronze 
Victor Xie Team Mt Roskill Grammar School Bronze 
Mark Yep Team Mt Roskill Grammar School Bronze
Ross Shillito Team Christ's College Bronze 
Jenny Chiang Reserve Macleans College  
Henry Jiang Reserve Macleans College  

 

Team 2013: Moscow, Russia

Name  Position  Education Medal
Feng (Frank) Zhou Team  Macleans College Silver
Ka Yin Keniel Yao Team Macleans College Bronze 
Xin Yi (Cindy) Ou Team Mt Roskill Grammar Bronze
Scott Huang  Team Rangitoto College Bronze 
Hengxun Zhang Reserve Auckland Grammar School  

 

Team 2012: Washington, D.C., USA

Name  Position  Education Medal
Andy Chen Team  Macleans College Silver
Robert Shin Team Macleans College Bronze 
Mathew Lie Team Westlake Boys High School Bronze
Pak-Hang (Henry) Yuen Team Auckland Grammar School Bronze 
Lincoln (Lin Feng) Ye Reserve Auckland Grammar School  

 

Team 2011: Ankara, Turkey

Name  Position  Education Medal
Andy Chen Team  Macleans College Bronze
Thomas Fellowes Team Christ's College Bronze 
Jade Leung Team St Cuthbert's College Bronze
Kailun Wang Team Auckland Grammar School Bronze 
Aaron Li Reserve Mt Roskills Grammar School  
Matthew Conder Reserve Onehunga High School  

 

Team 2010: Tokyo, Japan

Name  Position  Education Medal
Stewart Alexander Team Christchurch Boys' High School Bronze
David Bellamy Team Christ's College Bronze 
Jai Min Choi Team Massey High School Bronze
Luke Xu Team Massey High School Bronze 
Tony Zhai Reserve Macleans College  

 

Team 2009: Cambridge, England

Name  Position  Education Medal
Kevin Jan Team  Burnside High School Bronze
Joel Lawson Team Macleans College Silver
Jared Lewis Team Dunstan High School Bronze
Hyun-Sun Roh Team St Cuthbert's College Bronze 
Hugh McHugh Reserve Lindisfame College  

 

Team 2008: Budapest, Hungary

Name  Position  Education Medal
Emily Adlam Team  Diocesan School for Girls Bronze
Sava Mihic Team Auckland Grammar School Bronze 
Timothy Vogel Team Mt Roskill Grammar Bronze
Wenyi Yi Team Mt Roskill Grammar Bronze 
Tim Conder Reserve Tauranga Boys' College  

 

Team 2007: Moscow, Russian Federation

Name  Position  Education Medal
Chuan-Zheng Lee Team  Mt Roskill Grammar Silver
Jonathan Lin Team Auckland Grammar Silver
Michael Plunkett Team Westlake Boy's High Bronze
Thomas Wong Team Auckland Grammar Bronze 
Tim Giffney Reserve Auckland Grammar  

 

Team 2006: Gyeongsan, Korea

Name  Position  Education Medal
Joshua Baker Team  Newlands College Silver
Kuan-Lun Huang Team Auckland Grammar Silver
James Park Team Auckland Grammar Silver
Richard Stebbing Team Northcote College Bronze 
Thomas Steinke Reserve Burnside High  

 

Team 2005: Taipei, Taiwan

Name  Position  Education Medal
Devarshi Bhattacharyya Team  Auckland Grammar School Bronze
Daniel Chan Team Mt Roskill Grammar  
Wei Li Jiang Team Burnside High  
Lewis Winn Team St Paul's Collegiate, Hamilton  
Acrane Li Reserve Westlake Boys' High  

 

Team 2004: Kiel, Germany

Name  Position  Education Medal
Tony Chiu Team  Mt Roskill Grammar Bronze
Yun Huang Team Westlake Boys' High  Bronze 
Aritra Ray Team Mt Roskill Grammar Bronze
Reed Roberts Team Scots College Silver
Rebekah Lamb Reserve Freyberg High  
Michael Fletcher Reserve Auckland Grammar  

 

Team 2003: Athens, Greece

Name  Position  Education Medal
Yun Huang Team  Westlake Boys' High Bronze
Graeme Ho Fai Mak Team Auckland Grammar Hon. Mention
Aritra Ray Team Mt Roskill Grammar  
William Shew Team Avondale College Bronze 
Yue Wu Reserve Christ's College  

 

Team 2002: Groningen, The Netherlands

Name  Position  Education Medal
Peter Shiu Cheung Lau Team  Mt Roskill Grammar Bronze
Gemma Mason Team Burnside High Hon. Mention
Kelvin Peng Team Auckland Grammar Bronze
Andrew Yearsley Team Avondale College Bronze 
Alan Chan Reserve Westlake Boys' High  
Paul Cheng Reserve Macleans College  

 

Team 2001: Mumbai, India

Name  Position  Education Medal
Irene Ballagh Team  Otago Girls' High Bronze
Albert Bollard Team Wellington College Hon. Mention
Jack Chen Team Auckland Grammar  
Rosalind Phillips Team Havelock North High  
Shawna Huang Reserve St Cuthbert's College  

 

Team 2000: Copenhagen, Denmark

Name  Position  Education Medal
Luke Henry Team  Auckland Grammar Bronze
Chris Rapson Team Auckland Grammar Bronze
Donny Wong Team Mt Roskill Grammar  
Silas Xu Team St Andrew's College Silver
Ressell Hewitt Reserve Havelock North High  

 

Team 1999: Bangkok, Thailand

Name  Position  Education Medal
Desmond Chun Fung Chik Team  Auckland Grammar Bronze
Tim King Team Wellington College Bronze 
Richard Kramer Team Westlake Boys' High Bronze
Stephen McCracken Team Avondale College  
James Keenan Reserve Wanganui Collegiate  
Ben Ting Chiang Yi Reserve Glenfield College  

 

Team 1998: Melbourne, Australia

Name  Position  Education Medal
Tim King Team  Wellington College Special Certificate
Tien Huey Lim Team Diocesan School for Girls Bronze 
Francis Reid Team Westlake Boys' High  
Tanya Ronson Team Otago Girls' High  
Sasha Senthi Reserve Auckland Grammar School  

 

Team 1997: Montreal, Canada

Name  Position  Education Medal
Luke Baxter Team  Westlake Boys' High Bronze
Malcolm Lowe Team Auckland Grammar Bronze 
Nick Webb Team Shirley Boys' High Bronze
Alexander Ng Team Auckland Grammar   
Jonathan Randle Reserve Christchurch Boys' High  

 

Team 1996: Moscow, Russian Federation

Name  Position  Education Medal
Derek Caudwell Team  Tauranga Boys' High  
Ben Clark Team Wellington College Silver
Geoff Lau Team Westlake Boys' High  
Michael Townsend Team Te Puke High  
Ashok Raj Reserve Auckland Grammar  

 

Team 1995: Beijing, P.R. China

Name  Position  Education Medal
Andrew Baldwin Team  Palmerston North Boys' High  
Hayden Callow Team Pleasant Point High  
Ben Clark Team Wellington College Bronze
Irine Peng Team Epsom Girls' Grammar Bronze 
Jeremy Harrison Reserve Christ's College  

 

Team 1994: Oslo, Norway

Name  Position  Education Medal
Duncan McGillivray Team  Sacred Heart College, Auckland Bronze
Raghav Raman Team Scots College Bronze 
Andrew To Team Auckland Grammar  Silver
Ben Wilkinson Team Palmerston North Boys' High Silver
Wayne Patrick Reserve Otago Boys' High  

 

Team 1993: Perugia, Italy

Name  Position  Education Medal
Simon Blakey Team  Auckland Grammar Bronze
Jason Tseung Team Auckland Grammar Bronze 
David Yuen Team Selwyn College, Auckland Silver
Andrew Gilbert Team Palmerston North Boys' High Silver
Robin Knight Reserve Otago Boys' High  

 

Team 1992: Pettsburgh, USA

Name  Position  Education Medal
Nicholas Cutfield Team  Otago Boys' High  
Michael Fleming Team Auckland Grammar  Bronze 
Henry Liu Team Auckland Grammar Bronze
Andrew Lowe Team Selwyn College  
Stephen Hodge Reserve Fairfield College  

 

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