The Czech national team achieved outstanding success at the 2026 International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO). Competing against 166 students from 42 countries, the four Czech secondary school students won a total of 11 medals – two gold, seven silver and two bronze.
This year’s International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) was held in Turin, Italy, from 20 to 27 August. IESO is one of the world’s prestigious international academic Olympiads. It focuses on Earth sciences and the interactions between the Earth’s individual systems, with an emphasis on their interconnectedness. Unlike most academic Olympiads, IESO includes a greater number of competitive disciplines. In addition to subject knowledge and practical skills, participants must demonstrate their ability to work with data, evaluate observations, solve complex problems and present their findings effectively. Each participant can win up to three medals.
The Czech Republic was represented by Matěj Bajgar, Mojmír Prosecký, Michal Staněk and Natálie Šabatková. The team was accompanied by Associate Professor Rostislav Melichar and Dr Kateřina Zachovalová from Masaryk University, who contributed to the students’ academic preparation and guided them throughout the competition. All four team members are successful participants in the Czech Geological Olympiad, whose results form the basis for selecting the Czech team for IESO. The Geological Olympiad is organised by the Department of Geological Sciences at the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University.
“This year’s results demonstrate that our long-term work with talented students, our experience in selecting them through the Geological Olympiad and their subsequent specialist training are truly worthwhile. Winning 11 medals is an excellent achievement for the entire Czech team,” said Associate Professor Rostislav Melichar.
Photo: Kateřina Zachovalová
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