Olympiad Diaries
Day 3
Day 3
The highlight of the third day of the Open International Biology Olympiad (OIBO) was the first practical round. Participants tackled individual tasks covering various branches of biology, including botany and zoology.
The experiments were conducted in Sirius' state-of-the-art laboratories. For the plant biology section, students analyzed the anatomical structure of hop stems, studied plant pigments, and measured enzyme activity in different plant tissues. In zoology, they observed amphibian behavior (a class of cold-blooded vertebrates) and compared the cardiovascular systems of humans and mollusks.
Arseniy Vinogradov, a participant from Kyrgyzstan, discovered his passion for biology in ninth grade before joining the Olympiad movement. He qualified for OIBO by placing fourth in the national Olympiad. "The first practical round already revealed our team’s weaknesses," the student remarked.
"To me, biology is a science that lets us view the world through the lens of biological systems. My main goals at OIBO are to learn from Russia’s Olympiad traditions and compete for a medal. Some teammates are new to international competitions, so the practical round was stressful—they faced certain challenges during problem-solving," Arseniy noted. "Our biology group at the educational center is small, and we work closely with our team leader. Sharing the knowledge gained here won’t be difficult. We’ll analyze our mistakes—I'm sure this will help refine our preparation for the practical sections."
For Htet Oo Lwin, a student from Myanmar, OIBO is a chance to deepen her general biology expertise. She aspires to become a doctor to help others.
"I've been interested in biology since high school. I’m really curious about how humans and the environment are related, and also, the organization of very small things, like soil, up to larger bodies like ours, fascinates me. One day, I expect myself to become a doctor who can contribute to society. The real reason I decided to take part in this Olympiad is to uplift my knowledge of comprehensive biology. And here—almost everything, no, not almost, but every single thing—is just perfect. The weather, the buildings, and all the people here are really friendly to me," she shared.
In the evening, participants enjoyed sports activities and a jazz concert featuring Russia’s leading jazz musician, Igor Butman.
