On June 13, 2026, the closing ceremony of the 72nd edition of the Chemistry Olympiad took place in the Wojciech Świętosławski Auditorium of the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Warsaw. The ceremony was attended by laureates and finalists, teachers, parents, and members of the Presidium of the Polish Chemical Society, led by the President Prof. Robert Pietrzak – Prof. Rafał Latajka, Prof. Agnieszka Nosal-Wiercińska, Prof. Krzysztof Miecznikowski, Assoc. Prof. Elwira Wróblewska (Prof. ZUT), and Assoc. Prof. Paweł Rodziewicz (Prof. UJK).
Members of the Main Committee and District Committees were also present, along with many invited guests, including representatives of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Warsaw, the Faculty of Chemistry of the Warsaw University of Technology, the Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian University, the Faculty of Chemistry of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, the Main Committee of the Physics Olympiad, and the Board of the Polish Association of Science Teachers. The Minister of National Education, Katarzyna Lubnauer, was also present during the ceremony and, in her speech, emphasized the special role of Polish medalists at International Olympiads in building a positive perception of our country abroad.
The ceremony was opened and led by the Chairman of the Main Committee of the Chemistry Olympiad, Prof. Marek Orlik, who delivered a special lecture on phenomena in the field of non-linear dynamics of chemical systems, known as chimera states. Next, together with the Scientific Secretary of the Olympiad, Assoc. Prof. Ewa Poboży (Prof. UW), he presented a report on the course of the 72nd Olympiad and introduced the finalists and laureates. The podium positions were taken respectively by:
- Michał Trochimiuk-Szczepkowski – Stanisław Staszic Secondary School No. XIV in Warsaw;
- Jan Nasieniewski – University High School in Toruń;
- Wiktor Gorgoń – Mikołaj Kopernika Secondary School No. I in Łódź.
The laureates and teachers received diplomas and awards from the Main Committee as well as special prizes.
The composition of our country's team for the 58th IChO, which will take place this year in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from July 10 to 19, 2026, was also announced. The delegation will consist of the following laureates:
- Kacper Furtak – Secondary School No. V in Bielsku-Białej;
- Karolina Pawłowska – Technical School No. 10 in the Tadeusz Rylski School Complex No. 3 in Rzeszów;
- Julia Michniewicz – K. Hoffmanowa Secondary School No. IX in Warsaw;
- Wiktor Gorgoń – Mikołaj Kopernika Secondary School No. I in Łódź.
On behalf of the Presidium of the Main Board of the Polish Chemical Society, we warmly congratulate all participants of the 72nd Chemistry Olympiad, and we wish our representatives at the International Olympiad the best of luck in Tashkent!
