Every IHG has its champions, but few have stories like this year’s. In 2024, Draco finished last overall. In 2025, they rose to the top, writing one of the most remarkable comebacks in RC4 sporting history.

And they weren’t alone. Across all events, from Aquila’s badminton comeback to Ursa’s basketball battle, from Noctua’s E-sports climb to Leo’s Table Tennis clutch, every house carved out its own redemption arc. Again and again, teams proved that no setback is final, and that in RC4, no match is truly over until the final whistle blows.

Badminton was where Aquila wrote their comeback, bouncing back from an almost-last placing scare in the group stage, to placing 1st overall. “Right before the last match of the Round Robin, we were shocked to learn that losing it would mean placing 5th and not advancing to the next stage.” shared Ben Yeo (Year 1, Life Sciences), one of the players representing Aquila. “We had 4 or 5 training sessions prior to IHG, and it would have been such a pity being eliminated this early on. As a team, we played our fiercest in that moment, and cheered our loudest. Despite the pressure, our players fought hard and triumphed. On the day of finals, it was truly surreal to be amidst the roaring cheers of the crowd. Winning by such a narrow margin was exhilarating, but more importantly, everyone had a lot of fun together.”

Ben Yeo (2nd row, 2nd from the left) and Team Aquila winning Badminton IHG (Photo Credits: Sarah Tan)

In the virtual arena, Noctua’s Brawl Stars team fought their way from 4th seeds in Round Robin, to 2nd overall. “I still remember the look of disappointment on my teammates’ faces when we were only in 4th place after the first few rounds, but that didn’t stop us,” team captain Matthias Joseph (Year 1, Computer Science) reflected. “We regrouped, adapted our strategies on the spot, and played with renewed determination. With every subsequent win, the team spirit grew stronger, and ultimately the joy and pride we felt became the truest measure of our success.”

Matthias Joseph (far right) and Team Noctua at Brawl Stars IHG (Photo Credits: CSC Pubs)

Ursa’s female basketball team also exemplified determination, climbing from 4th during Round Robin to 2nd overall. “We had a slow start with our first game, but I remembered telling my team to focus on understanding our opponents, as I had confidence we would make it into semifinals,” explained their captain, Lee Yi Ning (Year 1, Material Science and Engineering). “It was a huge team effort that led to our comeback. My team was super resilient throughout the entirety of the tournament, always believing that we had the shot to win it all. We constantly complimented each other on a good shot or pass and everyone gave their all till the very last second. Despite losing in the finals, I am super proud of what we achieved, and I believe that everyone ended the day feeling satisfied with our performance – which is what matters the most!”

Team Ursa shaking hands with Team Noctua at the Women’s Basketball IHG Finals (Photo Credits: CSC Pubs)

For Leo, redemption came through table tennis. Rex Chng (Year 1, Business Administration), their table tennis captain recalled, “We were initially resigned to just enjoy the process, because we didn’t have enough players. But the ones who played really gave it their all, and kept scores close enough for us to advance to semifinals. From there, we clung onto that glimmer of hope, locked in and fought really hard.” The comeback was real – after losing to Aquila in the group stage, they came back swinging in the 3rd/4th finals against the same opponents. This time, thanks to the team’s adaptability and their captain’s strategic lineup, they turned the tables and swept the former victor in a decisive turnaround.

Rex Chng in action at Table Tennis IHG (Photo Credits: CSC Pubs)

Rex Chng (far left) and Team Draco at Table Tennis IHG (Photo Credits: CSC Pubs)

But from captain’s ball to netball, from Overcooked to ultimate frisbee — no comeback was bigger than Draco’s.

In the words of Ahmed Imaad (Year 1, Electrical Engineering), one of the players from Draco’s winning Overcooked team, “Before IHG, I learnt that Draco had never won, and we even came in last in 2024. It really hit me that I got to be part of the team that made history this year, taking home Draco’s first-ever IHG win. I felt really happy and proud to contribute to our house in this meaningful way.”

Imaad (far left) and Team Draco winning Overcooked IHG (Photo Credits: Phoebe Tan)

The long-awaited victory held even more meaning for those who had witnessed Draco’s growth since its earlier years. ”To many, Draco has always been the underdog,” recalled  Draco’s House Head, Stanley Ting (Year 2, Business AI Systems). “We finished last in 3 of the past 6 IHGs, but this year felt different. Despite midterms and packed schedules, everyone in Draco showed up and signed up for so many sports, even cheering one another on at every game. I’m really proud of my house, and for our Year 4s who came back for one last dance, we couldn’t have asked for a better finale.”

Stanley Ting (centre) and Team Draco winning IHG 2025 (Photo Credits: CSC Pubs)

Draco showed up, performing even in the tightest of matches. Draco’s ultimate frisbee captain, Jeryl Yeo (Year 1, Business AI Systems), recalled the nail-biting 6-5 win over the reigning 1st seed: “All of us were exhausted, the sun was scorching and the timer ran out when the score was tied at 5-5. It became sudden death, and nobody could sub out. We just gritted our teeth and defended with everything we had, eventually scoring the winning point. Everyone on the team was committed to winning, because we wanted to continue the legacy of our seniors who won ultimate frisbee last year.”

Jeryl Yeo (centre) and Team Draco at Ultimate Frisbee IHG (Photo Credits: Benson Chua)

Stuart Khaw, a Year 1 resident studying Computer Science, represented Draco in 9 IHG events – the highest number of sports participated in by a single resident. When asked what he thought was the secret to Draco’s success, he summed it up in just a few sentences: “I think we pulled it off by showing our utmost support to each and every single one of our athletes. Every game we turned up for, we fed off each other’s energy. The win is really an accurate reflection of the teamwork, chemistry and camaraderie between us Draco house members.”

Team Draco at Football IHG (Photo Credits: Ashton Ng)

Stuart Khaw (centre) and Team Draco at Football IHG (Photo Credits: Ashton Ng)

As this year’s games showed, success isn’t defined by where you start, but by how fiercely the team chooses to continue. Echoing the resilience that defined every team this year, Xavier Chia (Year 4, Mechanical Engineering), a long-standing resident and a proud Resident Assistant of Draco, remarked, “It wasn’t about chasing a win, it was about showing up for each other, every single time. The win is simply proof of how far a house can go when everyone pulls together like family.”

Xavier Chia (middle, behind frame) with Stuart (far right) and Team Draco at Tchoukball IHG (Photo Credits: Joanna Guan)