Lockheed Martin Code Quest 2026 Champions: A Sit-Down with Our Young Tech Innovators
Fresh off another major victory, our talented students are proving that age is no barrier to excellence! Following their recent hardware win at NUS Hack & Roll, our #CodingLabStudents Yu Shern, Anish, and Soham took their skills to the global stage as Team Green at the Lockheed Martin Code Quest 2026.
Competing against top student coders, the team put their problem-solving, speed, and strategy to the ultimate test to take home an astounding 2nd Place award for Singapore!
We sat down with Yu Shern, Anish, and Soham to learn more about their Code Quest journey, their high-stakes "eureka" moments, and how they conquered the competition. Let’s head behind the scenes!
How did you feel about winning at Code Quest 2026 at an international level and representing Singapore?
Soham: "Winning at an international level was honestly something we didn't fully process at first. It felt way too unreal!"
Yu Shern: "Honestly, I feel really accomplished and proud. This competition enabled me to step out of my comfort zone and tackle challenges I never thought I could do!"
“I’ve been learning Python at Coding Lab since the beginning. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to win such competitions.”
How was your experience at the event, and what was your biggest challenge?
Anish: "I had a great experience! It was really enjoyable spending time with my teammates and tackling coding problems together, just like we did at Hack & Roll. Our biggest challenge was keeping up with the other competing teams—they put up a tough fight and forced us to give our absolute best!"
Students Anish, Yu Shern and Soham (first three from right to left), previously participated in NUS Hack&Roll 2026, going up against 809 other contestants, largely university undergraduates and clinching the Best Hardware Award. They were even invited back to NUS to share their award-winning hardware insights with a captive audience of university undergraduates!
What was the most memorable or exciting moment for you during the event?
Yu Shern: "The most memorable moment was when we solved Challenge 30, the very last problem. It gave us the most points because it was really challenging, and I was so proud that I was able to solve it!"
Soham: "Ironically, the most memorable part was an 'easy' question that we got stuck on for the first 30 minutes! Pushing through that together was a real moment for us."
Anish: "The highlight for me was that exact moment when they announced the results and we realized we had secured 2nd place!"
What were the key lessons you learned during this competition?
Soham: "We learned the importance of teamwork, adaptability, and staying composed under pressure. It reinforced that problem-solving isn't just about coding ability, but also about strategy and persistence. Being able to learn quickly and adjust our approach for every question made a big difference."
“This competition enabled me to step out of my comfort zone and tackle challenges I never thought I could do!”
Is there anyone special you’d like to thank for supporting you along the way?
Anish: "Without Coding Lab, I wouldn't have been able to meet my awesome teammates and instructors. I've been learning Python at Coding Lab since the beginning. Special thanks to my parents, my teammates, and instructors like Teacher Lakshmi who were there to guide our team along the way!"
Yu Shern: "Coding Lab gave me the knowledge required, helped form our team, and gave us this amazing opportunity. I'd also like to thank my parents, my teammates, and my teachers for supporting me along the way."
“Problem-solving isn’t just about coding ability—it’s about strategy, persistence, and staying composed under pressure.”
At Coding Lab, we are immensely proud of Yu Shern, Anish, and Soham for their outstanding achievement at Lockheed Martin Code Quest 2026! Their ability to combine high-level computational thinking with strategic teamwork on an international stage inspires our entire community. 💚
Our #CodingLabStudents series highlights our ambitious coders as they progress from foundational Python classes to global competition podiums. We look forward to supporting them as they continue to reach even greater heights! 🚀
Ready to start your child’s award-winning coding journey? Check out our proprietary Python Meets Math course, which incorporates O and A-Level Mathematics for ages 13 to 18 to pick up one of the most versatile programming languages. We also have Advanced Elective courses, which includes Data Analytics, Algorithm, Game Development, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Secondary school and Junior College students.
Read next: #CodingLabStudents: Elizabeth Wong, 12, DSA to RGS and MGS