Our Swimming Invitational CompetitionSuccessfully Concludes

What is it like to host a swimming competition in an Olympic-level venue?

Last Saturday, the 2025 Wellington Cup Aquatic Sports Invitational was grandly opened at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Aquatic Sports Arena. More than 500 young athletes, from over 20 swimming teams and 10 artistic swimming teams gathered from Hangzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, the Yangtze River Delta region and Singapore to begin their quest for aquatic glory.

As one of the most influential youth aquatic events in the East China region, this competition attracted participants from many well-known international schools, bilingual schools and swimming clubs, and garnered significant attention for its high-standard organisation and professionalism.

Hangzhou is a city with extremely high standards in swimming. We organise this event to provide pupils with more platforms for sports competitions, allowing them to demonstrate our Wellington and Hiba educational philosophy of "Be you, Be more" in practice, break through their limits in the pool, find their own growth pathways and achieve dual transcendence in sports.

Principal of Wellington College Hangzhou

Ivey Wang

The competition comprised nearly one hundred events, with swimmers claiming 142 gold medals and artistic swimmers earning another 80. From dawn until dusk, the venue buzzed with activity all day long. Each moment captured not just their athletic triumphs, but also their profound personal growth from overcoming challenges to celebrating victories.

The athletes dove into the crystal-clear pool like fish, slicing through the water with powerful strokes as they raced toward victory with enthusiasm. Some participants, despite their young age and slightly immature swimming postures, showed no less passion for swimming. Each swimmer gave their absolute all as they pushed toward the finish line.  The parents in the stands cheered for the competitors, with shouts of encouragement and cheers echoing around the venue.

Amidst the rippling water, the enthusiasm and efforts of the participants were palpable. Most worth cheering for was the fact that each participant completed the race with all their might, building perseverance while gaining confidence and growth.

Swimming is not only a sport, but also an excellent way to cultivate grit, teamwork and self-discipline. Through such high-level competitions, we hope to ignite more young people's passion for swimming and inspire them to push their limits through challenges.

Head of Swimming

Young Chen

As the host, Wellington College Hangzhou secured first place in overall team scores across three categories: 334 points in the women's division, 325 points in the men's division and 659 points in the mixed division. In artistic swimming, Wellington College Hangzhou ranked first in seven categories, including team, mixed duet, duet and solo events, claiming victory in most disciplines.

These outstanding achievements are a reflection of our long-term commitment to swimming education and competition at Wellington College Hangzhou. We boast not only a professional swimming programme and coaching team but also a distinctive approach to swimming education by hosting high-level competitions, implementing systematic training and nurturing well-rounded pupils.

Turning the Pool into a

Stage for Children

What did the athletes gain from this Aquatic Sports Invitational? Why include aquatic competition in education?

Rather than hoping pupils win their self-motivated challenges, we place greater importance on how they develop ambition and desire while facing the waves.

For young lives full of youthful spirit, ambition might be vital. It's a longing to see a wider world, or perhaps the bravery and determination to embrace that vastness and richness, even when they can't yet fully grasp it.

We look forward to them illuminating a corner of the future world with the vitality and passion of youth, continually revealing their true colours and influence. May they seek infinite possibilities within the frameworks they cherish, explore uncharted realms, and find a unique expression that transcends the ordinary and belongs to them through new creation and transformation.

On their journeys of striving toward their goals, we hope they will ultimately discover that the true marks of their efforts are not just potential honours and rewards, but also the hidden truths of the journey itself, bearing witnesses to their growth, embedding the values of kindness, responsibility, respect, courage and integrity into themselves and the world, and always remaining grateful and eager for this precious journey.