Taipei: Taiwan's eight-member team achieved remarkable success at the 23rd International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) in Bucharest, Romania, clinching two silver medals, four bronze medals, and four honorable mentions, with every contestant receiving at least one award.According to Focus Taiwan, the competition, which took place from July 26 to August 2, saw the participation of high school students from 46 countries and regions. These young minds showcased their skills in linguistic analysis and problem-solving, demonstrating their prowess on a global stage. The Taiwanese delegation was guided by Janice Fon and Hsieh Shu-kai, professors at the Graduate Institute of Linguistics at National Taiwan University.In the individual events, Teng Zi-yang from Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo Senior High School and Wu Bo-ting from Tung Der High School in Nantou emerged as silver medalists. Meanwhile, bronze medals were awarded to Hsu Shao-yang of Taipei Private Dongshan High School, Chang Yu-an of Hong Wen International Sc hool in Taichung, and Yu Ang-hsuan from Ci-Xin Waldorf High School in Yilan County. Additionally, Hsu Shao-yang was distinguished with the "best solution" award for his exceptional performance.Honorable mentions were bestowed upon Tsai Shang-en, Shih Bing-chen, and Chou Yu-hsuan, all hailing from Chien Kuo Senior High School. In the team segment, Taiwan participated with two entries. The "Black Bear" team, consisting of Teng, Wu, Yu, and Tsai, secured a bronze medal, while the "Blue Magpie" team, comprising Hsu, Chang, Shih, and Chou, earned an honorable mention.Following the awards ceremony, Taiwan's representative office in Slovakia, which also manages Taiwan's interests in Romania, relayed Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim's congratulatory message to the delegation. The IOL challenges participants to employ linguistic analysis, logical reasoning, and problem-solving abilities by identifying patterns and deciphering unfamiliar languages, requiring not only linguistic knowledge but also patience and sound jud gment.