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PHUKET: Twenty-four students from Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan represented Malaysian Borneo as part of the Malaysian delegation at the Hippo The Contest 2026 Asia Pacific Continental Round, held here from July 2 to 5.

The students competed against top English language contestants from 20 countries and regions across the Asia-Pacific in the prestigious annual competition.

The participating countries and regions were Bangladesh, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Malaysian Borneo contingent celebrated two podium finishes, with Alton Chin Bo Yik of SRJK Yuk Chin, Tawau, Sabah, winning third place in the Little Hippo category.

Puteri Aulia Delisya Mohd Syahmi of SK Wira Jaya, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, also secured third place in the Hippo 1 category, giving the contingent two international podium finishes.

The 24 students qualified for the continental round after advancing through the national rounds of the Hippo English Language Olympiad.

Besides competing, they participated in cultural exchange activities, forged friendships with fellow contestants from across the Asia-Pacific, and proudly represented Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan and Malaysia on the international stage.

Their participation reflected the growing success of East Malaysian students in international academic competitions and the region’s commitment to nurturing confident English communicators with a global outlook.

The achievements also reflected the dedication of the students, as well as the unwavering support of their parents, teachers and schools in developing globally competitive young talent through English language education.