Türkiye won four medals in its first appearance as a competing country at the International Nuclear Science Olympiad. Reports published by Anadolu Agency and TRT Haber on August 8 said Ayaz Büyükterzi received a gold medal, while Mert Karan, Barış Canbolat and Ömer Akhan earned bronze medals. All four students representing Türkiye therefore left the event with a medal. The result came one year after Türkiye followed the competition as an observer before entering a student team for the first time.
Four students, four medals
According to the published results, Ayaz Büyükterzi placed within the top three of the overall ranking and received a gold medal. The other team members, Mert Karan, Barış Canbolat and Ömer Akhan, were awarded bronze medals in their respective areas. The sources confirm Türkiye's total as one gold and three bronze medals. Detailed score sheets were not included in the reports, so the outcome is presented only through the confirmed medal categories.
The Turkish team completed its preparation under the coordination of the Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mineral Research Agency. Information released before the event said the students were selected from different high schools in Istanbul and completed final preparations in Ankara. Türkiye's first competitive appearance followed its participation as an observer at the previous edition. Together with the medal reports, those details explain how the team reached the 2026 event.
INSO 2026 was held in Jeddah
The official International Nuclear Science Olympiad website states that the 2026 event took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from August 2 to August 9. The site says the event brought together students and specialists from 19 countries. King Abdulaziz University reported a total of 120 participating students and experts. Its announcement also says the event was organized with the Saudi Ministry of Education, Mawhiba and King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy.
The official INSO description presents the competition as an international nuclear science and technology platform for secondary-school students. The program is intended to test scientific knowledge and problem-solving while bringing together young participants from different countries. The event operates under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency. This framework establishes that the Turkish team's medals were part of an international science olympiad with formal host institutions and a published event program.
What the confirmed result covers
The available information confirms four medals for Türkiye, but detailed individual scores and a complete ranking of every country were not available on the official pages reviewed for this report. The article therefore limits its claims to the confirmed student names, medal types, location, dates and participation figures. If the organizers publish a full results table, the students' scores and any country ranking can be checked separately.
The four-medal result was the main confirmed outcome for Türkiye announced on August 8. Ayaz Büyükterzi's gold medal and the bronze medals awarded to Mert Karan, Barış Canbolat and Ömer Akhan were reported consistently by Anadolu Agency and TRT Haber. The dates, host city and participation information are separately supported by the official INSO and King Abdulaziz University pages.
