Jian Chaoming, a Grade 3 senior high student at Shenzhen Middle School, won a gold medal at the 38th International Physics Olympiad held in Iran on July 15 and 16, becoming the first Shenzhen student to win such a prize.

Of the 327 contestants* at the Olympiad, only 20 students won gold medals, according to the official Web site of the 38th International Physics Olympiad, http://www.ipho2007.ir.

Upon his return to Shenzhen Airport on July 25, Jian, 18, was greeted by his mother, who gave him a hug and a large bouquet*, as well as his teachers and media.

While speaking to re-porters Jian described the new friends he had made in Iran, and the architecture of the country.

“My biggest harvest in Iran is not the gold medal, but the new friends,” said Jian, who took one bag of gifts to Iran and brought back three bags.

Jian said he developed a passion for physics as a junior high student five years ago. On his bedside table are books by Stephen Hawking, the scientist he admires most. He started to read “A Brief History of Time” about five years ago, although he did not understand it entirely.

Jian, who was admitted* by Qinghua University even before he took the NCEE, said the Olympiad was the beginning of the next stage of his studies. “I have many questions about electromagnetism* and mechanics*. I will continue to explore in these areas in university,” he said.

Jian is not a bookworm. In his spare time he likes to play computer games and badminton.

He was the leader of the China team at the 38th International Physics Olympiad. He was also the head boy of his class for two years, before he joined a national training team for the Olympiad last year.

“He did his job great. He gets on very well with his classmates, and is very considerate,” said Liu Jianshuang, Jian’s head teacher.

(SD-Agencies)