Student clinches S’pore’s only gold at global chemistry Olympiad despite battling migraine condition

SINGAPORE - Despite battling a medical condition that caused him to skip nearly half of the school year, Singaporean student Leonard Toh overcame the odds to clinch the Republic’s only gold medal at the recent International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO).

The 17-year-old Raffles Institution student was among the 40 gold medallists at the 57th edition of the competition held in Dubai from July 5 to 14.

He ranked 19th out of 354 participants from across 90 countries, even as he coped with episodes of dizziness due to chronic vestibular migraine.

Singapore’s three other representatives were Damien Lai from Raffles Institution, Yeo Tun Seng from Hwa Chong Institution and Josh Sng from the NUS High School of Mathematics and Science, all 18. They each won silver.

Speaking to The Straits Times after returning to Singapore, Leonard, who is in Year 6, said: “When one is disadvantaged, there is simply no other substitute besides determination and pure hard work.”

He was diagnosed with vestibular migraine after experiencing severe bouts of vertigo in August 2022, when he was a third-year student. This left him unable to leave his bed.

The condition caused him to have significant difficulties bending down, jumping or even walking down the stairs. Once, he was hospitalised after a series of falls left him with concussions.

His condition also resulted in him having to miss classes for about half of Year 3 and 4.

“My academic performance was subpar simply due to the fact that I had missed so many lessons,” said Leonard, who now uses a walking aid due to his poor balance.

But with encouragement from his family, teachers and friends, Leonard decided to press ahead with his goal of competing at the Olympiad in 2025.

As he had started his preparations only about 18 months prior, he added that there was a lot of content knowledge that he lacked compared with his peers.

Typically, participants prepare themselves years ahead, he said.

The selection process began in October 2024 with the Singapore Chemistry Olympiad, where top-performing students are invited to participate in a second round the next month.

These students undergo training in advanced Chemistry topics, before sitting for a five-hour-long theory test where only eight to 10 students make the cut.

This selected group of students then sit for a practical test and go through an interview, before four are finally chosen to represent Singapore.

The IChO similarly comprises experimental and theory tests.

Outside of formal training, Leonard geared up for the competition by reading three textbooks covering topics in physical, organic and inorganic chemistry.

When it came to competition day, he said that he felt a mix of “pride, anxiety, fear and worry”.

While he was proud to be donning the red national blazer, he said that he was worried about his performance as he was not able to finish the theory paper.

Now, reflecting on his experience, he said: “Besides the obvious point about the academic side of the competition, it was also a valuable opportunity for me to meet with fellow participants from diverse backgrounds, all united by a common love and passion for chemistry.

“This feeling of being part of a wider community allowed me to have many interactions with other students, building lasting connections that will hopefully foster future scientific collaboration between Singapore and other countries.”

He added that he hopes to pursue a chemistry degree in an overseas university and ultimately carve a career in academia.

Raffles Institution, in a Facebook post on July 17, applauded Leonard’s achievements at the Olympiad.

“Living with a disability since Year 3, he faced challenges in attending school which affected his academics but through it all, he found purpose in Chemistry and pressed on with quiet determination,” the post said.

“His story is a powerful reminder that the road to success looks different for everyone.”