Under the blazing Singapore sun, a football whips across the pitch as students scramble after it, boots pounding the grass. Moments later, swimmers slice through the water, arms flashing and waves churning amid deafening cheers. Every heart-pounding sprint, powerful dive and soaring pass crackles with raw ambition and unstoppable energy.
This was the Worldwise Primary Games 2026. On this electrifying stage, 48 young athletes from Dehong Shanghai Elementary School were fully immersed and courageously striving. They flew to Singapore Dulwich to compete alongside young sports talents from sister schools around the world, giving their all on the field. From precise passes on the football pitch, determined strokes in the swimming pool, to all‑out sprints on the athletics track—they embodied the true spirit of “sports without borders.” Our Grade 3 students claimed the Overall Runner-up in Athletics, while the Grade 5 teams secured bronze medals in both the boys’ and girls’ football tournaments! Each medal is a testament to teamwork, and every one of them shone brightly on this international stage.
More than a sporting event, the Worldwise Primary Games are designed to reflect Dehong and Dulwich family's holistic approach to education—bringing together sport, collaboration and shared experience across its family of schools. Through this, students not only compete, but develop strength of character, build meaningful connections and experience what it means to be part of an international school network.
A Global Gathering
Hosted by Dulwich College (Singapore), this year's Worldwise Primary Games brought together nearly 500 Junior School students and 300 visiting parents from nine Dehong and Dulwich schools for four days of sports and friendship. While the first day was dedicated to travel and arrival, the following three days were filled with football, swimming and athletics.
Across the campus, pitches, pool and track were in constant use, forming a dynamic environment where students moved between events, teammates and experiences. This breadth is central to a Dehong and Dulwich education: creating opportunities that extend beyond a single discipline, and allowing every student to engage, contribute and grow.
From the outset, the Games demonstrated far more than athletic performance. They revealed how students approach challenges, collaborate as teams and respond under pressure—developing the resilience, responsibility and confidence that shape the student experience across the Dehong and DCI network.
The Worldwise Primary Games is one of our longest-running Worldwise Events, with a history of over a decade. Its core mission has remained the same over the years: to provide young athletes with a safe and inspiring environment to challenge themselves and, most importantly, build friendships through sport.
——Edgar Zillmann Head of Events and Educational Partnerships at Education in Motion
Day 1: Setting the Standard | Football and Swimming
After arriving the previous day, the Games opened with a grand welcome ceremony hosted by Dulwich College (Singapore), featuring music and dance performances, followed by an exciting opening parade. Schools entered in their colours, energised and ready to give their best.
Football and swimming ran in parallel, setting the tone for the Games. On the pitches, matches moved quickly, requiring teams to organise, communicate and adapt in real time. On the sidelines, players stayed fully engaged, responding to each moment as a unit.
In the pool, swimmers faced the precision of timed heats, where focus, control and composure were essential. From the beginning, students were not only participating—they were establishing how they would compete, support one another and represent their schools.
The most meaningful moments are often a combination of achievement and connection—whether it's the sense of accomplishment in competition or the friendship formed throughout the event. For many students, it's not just about winning or performance, but about being part of something bigger and sharing that experience with peers from across the group.
——Edgar Zillmann
Day 2: Beyond the Team | Athletics
Day 2 shifted the focus to athletics, with a full programme of track and field events including sprints, long jump, high jump and throwing.
The format created a different rhythm. Students rotated between events, balancing competition with recovery and observation. Along the track and field, interaction developed naturally—between attempts, between races and across schools. Conversations formed easily, and students engaged with peers beyond their immediate teams.
Dodgeball introduced a contrasting pace, reinforcing communication and teamwork in a more fluid and fast-moving setting. Across the day, students, teachers and parents all contributed to the collaborative atmosphere, extending the experience beyond competition into a wider shared environment.
This is where the strength of a connected family of schools becomes visible—not only in participation, but in the ease with which relationships form across campuses, cultures and teams.
Day 3: Stepping Up | Football Finals and Awards
The final day returned to football, with semi-finals and finals bringing the competition to a close.
By this stage, the level of play had sharpened. Teams showed greater structure, awareness and control, applying what they had developed over the previous days. Decision-making was quicker, communication more precise, and performances more composed under pressure.
The Awards Ceremony marked the conclusion of the Games. While trophies recognised achievement, the more significant outcome was progression—students leaving not only with results, but with a stronger sense of capability, shared experience and what they could achieve together.
Beyond the Games: More Than Competition
Across four days, the Worldwise Primary Games demonstrated what a holistic education looks like in practice. Students engaged in a wide range of opportunities—competing, collaborating and adapting across different environments—developing teamwork, resilience and confidence through experience.
At the same time, the Games highlighted the value of being part of a connected school network. Students, teachers and families engaged not only within their own schools, but across the wider Dehong and DCI group, building relationships through shared challenge and shared achievement.
Sports, like music and the arts, is a powerful form of self-expression and a universal language. It helps students better understand themselves and the world around them, while also supporting their physical and mental wellbeing. In a time when young people spend increasing amounts of time in front of screens, opportunities like the Worldwise Primary Games are essential in encouraging active, healthy and balanced lifestyles.
——Edgar Zillmann
With our family of schools continuing to grow—including the opening of Dulwich College Bangkok—the Games will continue to bring students together each year, creating opportunities, developing character and strengthening connections across schools.
We are already looking forward to next year's Games, which will be hosted by Dulwich College Beijing.
