MIRI: Malaysia has another reason to celebrate as 17-year-old Theodora Pei Ern Hue from SMK Merbau here secured a spot among the top five contestants worldwide at the 2025 Global English Olympiad Grand Finals in Assisi, Italy.
Representing Malaysia on the global stage, Theodora was one of only four national finalists to reach the Grand Finals of the prestigious Hippo English Olympiad, held from September 29 to October 1.
Competing in the HIPPO 4 category, she tied in score with the fifth-place finalist – a remarkable feat that puts her among the world’s best young English learners.
Theodora’s achievement is the culmination of months of preparation and rounds of intense competition, starting from school-level tests, progressing through national and regional qualifiers, and finally earning her place at the international showdown in Italy.
The Global English Olympiad continues to grow in prestige, providing students a chance not only to test their language skills but to connect with a worldwide community of learners.
Organised by the Global Hippo Association in partnership with the UK’s Gatehouse Awards, the Olympiad is one of the world’s most respected platforms for non-native English speakers aged six to nineteen.
The contest follows the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), ensuring its results are benchmarked against international language standards.
At the finals, participants demonstrated their skills in reading, listening, writing and speaking, all tested under real-time conditions.
Theodora’s consistent performance, sharp linguistic ability, and confident command of English set her apart from hundreds of global contenders.
Her teachers and peers at SMK Merbau have hailed her as an inspiration.
“Theodora’s achievement proves that with passion and discipline, students from any part of Malaysia can shine internationally,” said one of her English teachers on the school’s official Facebook page.
