Victoria Junior College defeated Raffles Institution 1-0 in the National School Games A Division boys' hockey final held on May 20, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The only goal came early, scored after just three minutes by VJC captain Ajit Shanmugan [1, 2, 3].
The final featured a rare sibling rivalry: identical twin brothers Ajit and Ajay Shanmugan captained opposing teams. Ajay led Raffles Institution, which had won the previous year's final 3-2 over Victoria Junior College [1, 2, 3]. Ajay was moved from forward to defence this year due to a hamstring injury sustained three weeks before the final, and he left the game injured again in the second quarter [1, 2, 3].
Ajit showed concern for his twin, rushing to help him on the sideline when Ajay went down injured. "I went to him because it’s a brother’s love... At the end of the day, he’s my brother, and when he’s injured, I know how he feels because I’ve also been through it before," Ajit said [1]. Ajay reflected on their on-field rivalry saying, "We told each other that we are enemies on the field, but after the game ends, we’ll go back to being brothers. So we don’t give each other chances, we don’t hold back" [1].
Ajit, 18, had missed the 2024 and 2025 finals due to injuries—a pelvic fracture in 2024 and a collarbone fracture in 2025—which ruled him out during those years [1, 2, 3]. This victory marks his first final appearance and win with VJC [1, 2, 3].
While the twins compete fiercely during matches, they maintain a close bond off the field [1, 2, 3].
Victoria Junior College will now prepare for their next competitions as the 2026 school hockey season continues [1, 2, 3].
