Saudi Informatics Team Wins Four Awards at 2026 Balkan Olympiad in Informatics

   Riyadh, September 19, 2026, SPA -- The Saudi Informatics Team won four international awards at the 33rd Balkan Olympiad in Informatics (BOI 2026), held in Tirana, Albania, with the participation of 75 students representing 18 countries.
   Student Saad Bandar Al-Arifi, from the General Directorate of Education in Riyadh Region, won the silver medal, marking the Kingdom's first silver medal in the history of its participation in the Olympiad. Bronze medals were awarded to Fares Yasser Al-Raddadi from the General Directorate of Education in Madinah Region and Mohammed Abdulrahman Bashkiel from the General Directorate of Education in Jeddah, while Hashem Ibrahim Basyouni from the General Directorate of Education in the Royal Commission in Yanbu received a Certificate of Appreciation.
   With these results, the Kingdom's total tally at the Olympiad has risen to 17 awards across four participations, comprising one silver medal, eight bronze medals, and eight certificates of appreciation.
   The achievement is part of the Mawhiba International Olympiad Program, implemented by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education. The program operates through an integrated system of training camps and initiatives supervised by local and international experts, aimed at honing students' skills and developing their scientific and competitive capabilities.
   The team members underwent a series of progressive training camps and programs, including qualifying competitions, tests, and simulations of international contests, to assess their proficiency and select the most outstanding participants. This preparation focused on developing problem-solving skills, algorithm construction, computational thinking strategies, and the ability to tackle complex tasks.
   The training and qualification journey for students in the Mawhiba International Olympiad Program spans two to four years, ensuring their gradual and systematic preparation for regional and international Olympiads and enhancing their readiness to represent the Kingdom at global scientific forums.
   -- SPA