Doan Le Anh Duc, a student at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, won the laurel wreath at the final of Road to Mount Olympia 2026 on the morning of 1 November, VietnamPlus reported. The 26th edition of Vietnam's best-known student quiz show was broadcast live on VTV3 from Vietnam Television's S14 studio.
The four finalists
Compiled by KBVN+ from Tuoi Tre and VTV reports:
| Contestant | School | Province | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doan Le Anh Duc | Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted | Hanoi | Champion, consistent across rounds |
| Nguyen Huy Quang Minh | Thai Binh High School for the Gifted | Hung Yen | Runner-up after scoring just 10 in the opening round |
| Ly Thai Duong | Hung Vuong High School for the Gifted | Phu Tho | Near-perfect opening round |
| Tran Vo Gia Bao | Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted | Khanh Hoa | Outstanding obstacle round |
None of the sources published the final scores.
How the final played out
VTV described a final that stayed tense until the last seconds across the four rounds: warm-up, obstacle, acceleration and finish. Ly Thai Duong made an almost flawless start and Tran Vo Gia Bao shone in the obstacle round. Nguyen Huy Quang Minh climbed from only 10 points after the warm-up to finish second. Anh Duc won by staying steady in every round, a strategy he had described to VTV's newspaper before the contest.
A message from Den Vau
Before Quang Minh's final round, producers learned he was a fan of rapper Den Vau and arranged a video message, Tuoi Tre reported. The rapper said he was happy and surprised that such a strong student found time for rap, urged him to stay calm and confident, and told all four finalists he saw them not as rivals but as a team opening the door to knowledge. He added that he admired their talent and believed they would contribute a great deal to the country.
Online viewers joked that the message lifted Quang Minh from last place to second. It was not Den Vau's first brush with the show: five years ago his photo appeared in a warm-up question, which went viral. He has also told VTV he watched the programme weekly as a student.
What comes next
VTV said the 26th final again showed the pull of one of the most respected knowledge contests on national television. Tuoi Tre said Den Vau was scheduled to appear at an online-safety music gala at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc square in Hanoi on the evening of 1 November. The sources have not announced details of the show's 27th season.