The Saudi National Biology Team has won six silver medals at the Open International Biology Olympiad (OIBO) 2025, hosted in Sochi, Russia, from May 10 to 17. The competition saw the participation of 100 students representing 17 countries from around the globe.

This remarkable achievement reflects the joint efforts of the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Ministry of Education, as part of their ongoing mission to foster and empower gifted students, and to prepare them to represent the Kingdom with excellence in international scientific competitions.

The Saudi team was composed of six gifted students, all of whom succeeded in earning silver medals—an outstanding accomplishment that adds to the Kingdom’s growing record of success in global science Olympiads.

The team included Abdullah Hajed Al-Subaie (General Directorate of Education in Taif), Fouad Hussein Bajunaid (General Directorate of Education in Jeddah), Hassan Abdullah Al-Bahhar (General Directorate of Education in Riyadh), Hamzah Mohammed Baessa (General Directorate of Education in Riyadh), Ziyad Ahmed Al-Namri (Royal Commission Education Directorate in Yanbu), and Elias Fawazi Asloob (General Directorate of Education in Jeddah).

This was Saudi Arabia’s first participation in the inaugural edition of the Open International Biology Olympiad (OIBO)—an emerging global scientific platform aimed at cultivating students’ skills in biology and fostering scientific and cultural exchange among nations. This achievement exemplifies the Kingdom’s sustained and active presence on the international scientific stage. It also underscores the effectiveness and impact of the advanced training programs offered by Mawhiba in partnership with the Ministry of Education, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s strategic commitment to fostering scientific excellence in alignment with the ambitions of Vision 2030.