How Grade 10 student Dylan progressed through the HIPPO English Olympiad and finished 1st at the World Finals in Italy 

What began with an English exam in Thailand eventually took Dylan, now in Grade 10, to Spoleto, Italy. 

HIPPO is an international English language competition where students progress through several stages toward the World Finals. It tests grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing and listening. Dylan describes the experience as similar to taking a standardized English proficiency test, with different sections testing different language skills. 

Dylan’s HIPPO journey stretched over approximately eight months, beginning while he was still in Grade 9. He progressed through the Preliminary Round and National Qualifier in Thailand, won his category at the Regional Finals in Phuket, and earned his place at the World Finals. There, after two days of competition, Dylan finished 1st Place in his category. 

Getting there involved more than passing each round. As the competition became more difficult, Dylan had to prepare independently, balance practice with school, and learn how to manage the nerves and self-doubt that often appeared when the pressure was highest. 

The Road to Italy 

Dylan’s journey began with the Preliminary Round in Thailand, where his score qualified him to advance to the National Qualifier. He again achieved the score required to progress, earning his place at the Regional Finals. 

For Dylan, some sections required particularly careful attention. With many questions to work through, he sometimes found himself second-guessing whether he had understood them correctly. 

His next major result came at the Regional Finals in Phuket, where he finished 1st in his category and secured his place at the World Finals in Italy. 

“I was incredibly excited and relieved when I found out I qualified.” 

As third and second place were announced, Dylan waited nervously to hear whether his name would be called. Hearing his name announced in first place quickly turned that nervousness into motivation for what came next. 

“Now that I had the ability to go to Worlds, that pushed me to try and prepare more.” 

Preparing for a Bigger Stage 

Dylan prepared largely on his own, using past papers, online practice materials, and the syllabus provided for the World Finals. As each competition approached, he increased his practice while balancing it with school and his other responsibilities. 

He focused more intensely during the month or two before an exam. By the time he reached the World Finals, he was reviewing the syllabus closely and identifying concepts he still found difficult. 

Arriving in Italy gave him a clearer sense of the competition he was about to face. Some students had worked with specialized tutors or regularly discussed their preparation with others. 

“It was intimidating. I wasn’t really sure how many people were directly against me, and you see all these people coming from around the world.” 

Competing at the World Finals 

Around 150 students competed at the World Finals across different categories. Dylan competed in HIPPO S3, which follows the same English proficiency level as HIPPO 4. In the final round, he went up against a student from Bosnia. 

During the tests, Dylan sometimes overthought his answers and second-guessed himself. Despite the nerves, he was excited to have reached the World Finals and take on another challenge. 

When Dylan was announced as 1st Place, months of preparation ended with both excitement and relief. 

“When I heard I had won, it was like, wow, all these past months of effort ended up here, in Italy.” 

More Than the Result 

Interestingly, when Dylan talks about what he is proudest of, he doesn’t immediately return to the trophies or medals. He talks about the people he met. 

During the Regional Finals and World Finals, HIPPO organized icebreakers and team-building activities that gave students opportunities to spend time together outside the competition. Dylan enjoyed meeting students from different places, even when they only had a short time together. 

That friendly environment became one of his favorite parts of the experience. Students were there to compete, but they were also talking, making friends, and getting to know people they might otherwise never have met. 

Learning Not to Second-Guess Himself 

One of Dylan’s biggest lessons from HIPPO had less to do with English and more to do with confidence. 

He has experienced nervousness in other situations too, particularly when speaking or performing on stage. Under pressure, he can sometimes overthink, forget something he knows, or question whether he has done enough. 

Each stage of HIPPO gave him another opportunity to work through that feeling. 

“I learned that I really shouldn’t get too nervous or doubt myself. If I pass the benchmark, that’s good because my hard work paid off. If I don’t pass, at least I tried my best, and now I know what I can improve.” 

Dylan also credits his family and friends for motivating him throughout the competition. Their support helped him focus on doing his best, rather than measuring the experience only by whether he won. 

It is the same advice he would give another student considering an international competition. 

“Believe in yourself and try your hardest. I’ve already prepared as best as I can. If it’s not enough, then so be it. It’s a learning experience, and next time I know I should prepare more than I did before.”