A student from Warrington’s Priestley College scored one of the top marks on a Physics paper taken by some of the brightest young scientific minds in the country.
Tailun Sun, who studies Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths at Priestley, finished in the top 7% of the 4,400 students who entered the Physics Olympiad.
For Tailun, who has just received an offer from the University of Oxford to study Engineering, his achievement took him by surprise.
“I was over the moon when I heard and I still can’t believe what I have achieved,” he said.
“I genuinely feel happy for achieving so much in the competition and I am also grateful for all the support and help from Priestley College, especially my Physics tutor. Without guidance from her I couldn’t have come so far as to reach Gold.”
Two other Priestley students entered the competition and also excelled with former Hope Academy pupil Toby Sharrock receiving Bronze (top 17%) and Emily Browning, who was a pupil at Padgate Academy, earning a Bronze II (top 35%).
This year 2,300 students from the UK took part with a further 2,100 in China also participating.
Organisers said the paper tested ‘a range of student knowledge, preparation and ability’ allowing good students to enter whilst also stretching the top young physicists.
Tutor Tory Mullineux said: “This is an amazing achievement for all three Priestley students. The Olympiad was incredibly challenging so to excel in this way is something to celebrate.”
The Physics Olympiad develops a student’s problem-solving skills – a talent that universities look for in prospective students.
Most of the questions went beyond the A-Level syllabus and stretched even the most capable scientific minds.
Tailun said: “Participating in the Physics Olympiad gave me the opportunity to experience something similar to what I will learn in an Engineering degree.
“In short, I really appreciate this opportunity and enjoy the challenging time I faced in this process.”
