Capstone’s debaters have returned from Hanoi with two championship titles, capturing the Under-16 division and contributing to the Under-14 crown at the Vietnam Asian Schools Debating Championship 2026, one of the largest school debating tournaments in the region.
Staged in Hanoi from 21 to 24 June and hosted by the Vietnam Academy of Debate and Public Speaking, the tournament drew more than 450 students from eleven countries and territories for four days of Asian Parliamentary debate, adjudicated by a panel of over sixty international judges. Against a field of that depth, Capstone’s delegation delivered a weekend of rare completeness: a championship in the Under-16 bracket, a share of the Under-14 title, several teams into the elimination rounds, and speaker honours spread across the Overall, Under-16 and Under-14 tabs.
Under-16 Champions
The headline belonged to Alice W. (HKIS), Renee Y. (ICS), Sarah C. (HKIS) and Alissa M. (VSA), crowned Under-16 Champions. The team won its way through the elimination rounds and met VADP Galacticos in the Grand Final, where six of the nine judges ruled in Capstone’s favour.
The four debaters held their form throughout. They survived the early rounds, outperformed strong opposition in the later ones, and kept their composure in the final, when the pressure was highest and the smallest error could have cost them the title.
Under-14 Champion
Luke S. (CIS) won the Under-14 Championship. He debated alongside students from other delegations. In the youngest division, debaters face the same demands as the senior brackets: the same preparation, the same intensity, the same international opposition, with fewer years of experience behind them. Luke met all of it and came out a champion.
Strength in Depth
Capstone reached deep into the draw across several teams. Capstone JAYGJ, made up of Yeonseo K. (GSIS), Gemma Y. (KGV), Jodie L. (IS) and Adrian W. (HKIS), advanced to the octofinals. Capstone PNRH, fielding Ryan Q. (HKIS), Pacey Q. (TLS) and Hanson K. (DBS), also reached the octofinals. Capstone KNJ, with Jonathan H. (DBS), Ka Yin L. (HFC) and Nathalie N. (HISHK), came through to the double-octofinals.
Capstone put teams into nearly every stage of the elimination draw, from the open bracket to the age-category finals.
Speaker Honors
Individual debaters earned recognition too. In the Overall speaker tab, Tony S. (CIS) finished 10th and Adrian W. (HKIS) 17th. Adrian also placed 4th in the Under-16 speaker rankings, and his teammate Gemma Y. (KGV) was placed 9th and Jodie L. (IS) was 13th best. Alice W. (HKIS) was 10th best Under-16 speaker and Sarah C. (HKIS) in 16th. In the Under-14 tab, Renee Y. (ICS) took 12th and Alissa M. (VSA) 15th.
Two titles, several deep runs through the draw, and a broad set of speaker awards make Vietnam ASDC 2026 one of Capstone’s strongest regional showings of the year. Our congratulations go to every debater who travelled to Hanoi, and to the coaches whose work made these results possible.
