Established in 1988, the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) Games have grown into a cornerstone event for British International schools across the continent, combining elite athletic competition with cultural exchange. The 2025 edition, hosted at Thailand's Pattana Sports Resort, continued this legacy by welcoming U13 squads from over 90 member schools, including powerhouses like JIS Brunei, Bangkok Patana School and Alice Smith School. Renowned for its multi-sport format – spanning athletics, swimming, basketball, and football – the Games challenge pupils to excel individually and collectively, while fostering global connections. The Wellington College Hangzhou U13 participants, entered this arena with a squad honed through months of rigorous training, ready to test their mettle against Asia's finest under Bangkok's sweltering skies.
Wellington College Hangzhou's campaign exemplified the Games' spirit of perseverance and camaraderie. Competing across disciplines, their athletes navigated the demands of split squads – with some swimmers already engaged in FOBISIA's Phuket Swimming Championships – while contending with intense tropical conditions. From track events to tightly contested team sports, the squad demonstrated tactical adaptability and resilience, balancing individual ambitions with collective goals. Beyond the competition, their conduct throughout the gruelling three-day schedule drew widespread admiration, reinforcing the event's emphasis on teamwork and mutual respect. As focus shifts to April's U11 Thailand event, the U13 squad's journey stands as a testament to the enduring values at the heart of FOBISIA's sporting tradition.
We are proud to share the outstanding achievements of our U13 athletes at the prestigious FOBISIA Games in Thailand, where they claimed second place overall among leading British international schools across Asia.
Day 1: Track & Pool Triumphs
Our squad opened strong at the Pattana Sports Resort with 19 gold, 17 silver and 5 bronze medals in athletics - finishing runner-up only to the extremely strong JIS Brunei.
The afternoon saw remarkable resilience in swimming, with our reduced team (while most swimmers competed separately in FOBISIA Swimming in Phuket) securing additional podium finishes through sheer determination.
▲Wellington College Hangzhou won the championship with an average high score of 117.89.
Day 2: Basketball Brilliance
Both our girls' and boys' teams stormed to the basketball finals in style. The girls delivered an overtime thriller in the semifinals before claiming silver, while the boys narrowly missed gold against JIS by 2 points - earning praise from rival coaches for displaying "the tournament's best basketball."
Day 3: Football Fortitude
Despite physical fatigue, our girls' football team dominated their group matches 4-0 en route to a nail-biting final against JIS. The boys learned valuable lessons in tournament focus during their heart-stopping elimination via last-minute free kick.
Beyond Medals
Over four months of dedicated training culminated in:
✅ Over 90 podium finishes across disciplines
✅ Multiple personal best achievements
✅ Universal acclaim for sportsmanship
✅ Demonstrated ability to compete with Asia's elite
Special recognition goes to our athletes for maintaining exemplary conduct throughout the gruelling 3-day event, battling both elite competition and Bangkok's tropical heat.
Wellington College Hangzhou's success at the FOBISIA Games 2025 stands as a testament to the college's unwavering commitment to athletic excellence, driven by its dedicated and highly experienced sports faculty. Through meticulously structured training programmes, these educators combine technical expertise with tailored coaching strategies, fostering both physical conditioning and mental resilience in their pupils. Their holistic approach – balancing discipline, tactical innovation and sportsmanship – has not only enhanced the school's sporting achievements but also cultivated well-rounded ambassadors for British international education. As the upcoming U11 Thailand event approaches, this proven framework of mentorship ensures aspiring athletes are primed to build upon the U13's legacy, solidifying the college's reputation as a nurturing ground for Asia's future sporting talent.
