SANDAKAN: Vision School Sandakan has once again made Malaysia proud after its students delivered outstanding performances at the HIPPO English Language Olympiad 2026 – Continental Round (Asia-Pacific Region), held in Phuket, Thailand, from 2 to 5 July.
The Continental Round brought together top qualifiers from 20 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, providing a platform for young English language learners to compete at an international level.
Leading the school’s achievements was Year 6 student Jacob Chu Jia Bao, who emerged as the champion in the HIPPO 1 category, outperforming 105 contestants from across the region. With this victory, Jacob has earned the honour of representing Malaysia at the HIPPO World Finals in Italy later this year.
Jacob Chu, who is going to represent the Asia-Pacific region at the Grand Finals in Italy.
Vision School Sandakan also recorded commendable performances from its other representatives. Year 6 student Aiden Han Zhi Xuan and Year 5 student Alexa Wong Qiao En finished 33rd and 34th, respectively, just five points behind the champion.
In the Little Hippo category, Year 4 student Ho Jun Vui placed 12th out of 76 contestants, finishing only four points behind the category champion. Whereas our secondary school student, Janelle Lim, placed 36th out of 53 candidates in the HIPPO 4 category.
All five students qualified through the National Finals before representing Malaysia at the Continental Round, where they competed against some of the region’s finest young English language talents.
Vision Primary School’s head teacher, Madam Thien Lee Yee, said the students’ achievements reflected not only their English proficiency but also their perseverance, confidence and willingness to challenge themselves on the international stage.
“We are immensely proud of our students for representing both Malaysia and Vision Primary School with excellence, humility and determination. Their success is a testament to the dedication of our students, the commitment of our teachers, and the unwavering support of our parents.
More importantly, it demonstrates that with the right guidance and opportunities, young learners can confidently compete with the very best beyond our borders.”
Vision Primary School Sandakan remains committed to providing meaningful opportunities that enable students to develop academically, communicate confidently, and grow into lifelong learners with a global outlook.
