Finally, DCB is back at the Dulwich Games!

Last week, over 350 Junior School students from Dulwich College Beijing, Dulwich College Suzhou, Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi and Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong converged on the campus of Dulwich Pudong for the return of the Dulwich College Asia (DCA) Games, the first in-person Dulwich Games in 3 years!

The DCA Games involves the Dulwich College Schools across Asia participating in a multi-sport competition. This year’s DCA Games were the first Games to take place since the start of the pandemic, and was hosted by Dulwich College Shanghai, Pudong on 16-17 March. The Games involved students in Years 4, 5 and 6, with students competing in athletics, football, and swimming. 

On the morning of March 15, 65 students and ten staff boarded the bus to the airport. Excitement was in the air as they chattered about the games, their opponents and the upcoming event. The journey to Shanghai was long, but the students were in good spirits. 

Upon arriving in Shanghai, the team was greeted with a warm welcome from their hosts Dulwich College Shanghai (Pudong) (DCSP). DCSP held a spectacular opening ceremony to welcome all the schools, entertaining everyone with drumming, singing, and kung fu – a great opening to what was promising to be an excellent event.

On the following two days, athletes from our family of schools competed in 3 main sports – athletics, swimming, and football. The DCB team was confident, with several strong athletes and swimmers in the team. Throughout the two days of the games, the DCB students formed new friendships with students from other schools. They shared stories, laughs, and high-fives, cheering each other on during the events and we saw some great teamwork and rallying from DCB students. 

At the closing ceremony on the final day of the games, the atmosphere was electric as the students waited to hear the results. The DCB team celebrated their successes but more importantly showed great sportsmanship and clapped and cheered all the participants in the DCA Games 2023. 

Shared Hannah Marshall, DCB’s Director of Sport, “What an experience for our students! For some students this was their first sports competition outside of Beijing. I am extremely proud of all the DCA students, the level of teamwork they displayed, their confidence to make new friends, the respect they showed for all their opposition and the kindness they treated each other with. These values are much more important than the medals they achieved; and will help our student 'live worldwise'.”

The students were exhausted but happy as they boarded the plane back home. They had worked, played, and made memories that would last a lifetime. Ms. Gurdon, Head of Junior School, stated ‘I am so thrilled that we were able to take 65 students for an experience they will never forget. I could not have been prouder of they displayed the Dulwich Values every step of the way.’

A big thank you to Dulwich College Shanghai, Pudong for hosting an incredible event- it was a real pleasure to be a part of the DCA Games after such a long break from competitive sport.