Schoolchildren from Turkmenistan win gold at XCEL Olympiad in Los Angeles

Young representatives of Turkmenistan have achieved outstanding success at the prestigious International XCEL Olympiad, held at the University of California in Los Angeles. The team of Turkmen schoolchildren, who passed the selection at the online stage in February 2025, demonstrated an exceptional level of preparation, winning gold, silver and bronze medals in various scientific and technical disciplines.

The XCEL Olympiad is a multidisciplinary competition designed to identify and support young talents in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Its international format creates a unique platform for the exchange of experience and ideas between young researchers from all over the world, and holding it within the walls of one of the most prestigious universities in the world, the University of California, emphasizes the high status of the competition.

Turkmen schoolchildren representing the ImdatBot and Turkmen-Indian Center courses competed in four key disciplines. Among them were mathematics and cognitive science, a relatively new field that requires a deep understanding of the principles of human thinking and artificial intelligence. The children also showed brilliant results in robotics, art and design. 

The robotics competition attracted special attention and was perhaps the most spectacular. Smart machines developed by Turkmen schoolchildren masterfully performed complex tasks, such as walking up stairs and moving loads. The children not only presented their innovative projects to the jury and the audience in English, but also convincingly demonstrated them in action, which brought them a well-deserved victory.

The international jury highly appreciated the originality and technical perfection of the projects of the Turkmen participants, recognizing them as some of the best. In addition to gold medals, the young talents were awarded special prizes, which are usually awarded for an exceptional approach and potential for practical application, which emphasizes the outstanding nature of their achievements.

After the intense competition and the award ceremony, the winners were able to enjoy excursions to Hollywood and an amusement park, receiving unforgettable impressions of their stay in Los Angeles. The achievements of Turkmen schoolchildren at the XCEL International Olympiad testify to the high quality of educational programs in the country, the effectiveness of specialized training centers and, most importantly, the enormous enthusiasm of the new generation, which is rightfully becoming a source of pride for Turkmenistan.