The Spanish Olympic Chemistry team prepares at the URJC

Raul Garcia Hemonnet

Shortly before the Paris Olympic Games, another Olympiad, the International Chemistry Olympiad, will take place in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia (July 21-30), in what will be its 56th edition.

There, three students who will be at the University next year will defend Spain before the powers represented by the Asian countries and the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe, and the rest of the nations, up to a total of 80 countries. 

The team is made up of three Valencian students and one from the Canary Islands and has been preparing at the URJC's Móstoles Campus. All winners of regional and national competitions. One of them has flown directly to Saudi Arabia and there he has met with his colleagues, without going through the King Juan Carlos University.

As explained by Oscar Rodríguez Montoro, team mentor and professor in the area of ​​Physical Chemistry who directs this training, “the boys are prepared, they have already had a one-year competitive cycle between regional, national and now international. Later in the year they will go to the Ibero-American one, in Costa Rica.”

The International Olympiad tests are highly complex, with theoretical and practical exercises at a 4th year undergraduate or even master's level.

Rodríguez Montoro points out that the teachers and mentors, who come on behalf of the Ministry of Education and the Royal Spanish Academy of Chemistry, “we also learn a lot in this experience, seeing the development of exercises and laboratory practices of great difficulty and coming into contact with with universities from all over the world.”

Although the main thing is that the students enjoy a great experience, the Spanish team travels to Saudi Arabia with the intention of its students being among the best 30%, which would mean getting a bronze medal.

Daniel García, a Canarian student member of the team, looks “well prepared,” like his classmates, and convinced of “getting a good position.” Although students travel in teams, their participation is individual.

García reflects on the preparation of students from Asian countries, “In China they have been preparing for the Olympics four years in advance, they consider it very important for their reputation.”

These last days of preparation at the URJC facilities have served to finalize details and ensure a good role for the Spanish delegation in the International Chemistry Olympiad.