Results of the Nesmo 2026 Olympics: 49 male and female students win medals
The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity “Mawhiba”, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, announced the final results of the Nesmo National Science and Mathematics Olympiad, whose final stage was held in person in Riyadh from May 16 to 19, 2026. This pioneering national initiative aims to prepare and qualify gifted students to represent the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in international scientific forums, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in building a vibrant society and a thriving knowledge economy.
The journey of the Nesmo Olympics and a history of nurturing talent in the Kingdom
This major national competition is an extension of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's long-standing efforts to nurture creative minds since the establishment of the Mawhiba Foundation. These initiatives have evolved over the years, transforming from simple local competitions into a comprehensive system that meets the highest international standards for identifying and developing talented individuals. This Olympiad is the cornerstone of this system, representing the first and largest annual national competition specializing in science and mathematics, targeting students from the first year of middle school through the first year of high school, thus paving the way for them to participate in international competitions.
Results details and gold medal tally
This year's competition saw fierce participation from 864 students from across the Kingdom, with 223 students qualifying for the Mawhiba International Olympiads Program. These qualifiers were distributed among the national elite as follows: 44 students for the Mathematics team, 34 for the Informatics team, 42 for the Physics team, 36 for the Science team, 35 for the Biology team, and 32 for the Chemistry team.
Forty-nine students won medals at the Olympiad, including 8 gold, 17 silver, and 24 bronze medals. The gold medalists included: Hussein Mohammed Al-Khamis (Physics – Al-Ahsa), Saja Hamed Al-Ghamawi (Biology – Jeddah), Layan Fahd Abu Al-Naja (Chemistry – Eastern Province), Saad Fayez Al-Shehri (Science – Jeddah), Ammar Mohammed Al-Dawood (Mathematics 2 – Riyadh), Ali Mohammed Al-Saleh (Mathematics 1 – Al-Ahsa), Mohammed Abdulaziz Al-Mulhem (Informatics 2 – Al-Ahsa), and Rakan Khalid Al-Sharif (Informatics 1 – Riyadh).
Distribution of geographical excellence among education departments in the Kingdom
The results showed a remarkable performance by the education departments in the Riyadh and Eastern regions, each winning 11 medals. They were followed by the Al-Ahsa Education Department with 9 medals, then Jeddah with 7, and the Royal Commission in Yanbu with 6. The Makkah Education Department secured 2 medals, while the Northern Borders, Jazan, and Royal Commission in Jubail each received one medal. A large educational and administrative team participated in organizing this final stage, including 18 coordinators from the education departments, 25 members of the scientific teams, 28 supervisors, and 90 team leaders.
The local and international impact of empowering young national talents
The significance of this event extends beyond mere recognition; it shapes the future of the knowledge economy in the Kingdom. Locally, the Olympiad contributes to integrating Olympiad science training within education departments, enhancing teacher performance, and enriching curricula with topics that cultivate higher-order thinking skills. Regionally and internationally, these talented individuals form the core of the Kingdom's teams, which participate annually in approximately 30 international and regional Olympiads, involving more than 120 countries. Empowering these young talents strengthens the Kingdom's position as a leading center of innovation and scientific excellence on the global stage.
