As Yat Sen celebrates its 90/40 Anniversary, it is also an opportunity to recognise former students who have carried the values of the school into lives of service and contribution.
Among them is William Koong, Yat Sen Class of 1995, an accomplished sports physiotherapist and high-performance medical leader whose career has been closely intertwined with some of the greatest chapters in Fiji Rugby history.
William attended both Yat Sen Primary and Yat Sen Secondary School before continuing his studies at the University of the South Pacific and Fiji School of Medicine. His sisters, Lilly (Koong) Fonseca and Valerie Koong, are also former Yat Sen students, making the Koong family’s connection to the school a shared one.
Today, William is head of medical with the Fijian Drua, leading the professional club’s medical, rehabilitation and player-welfare programmes.
Behind that position lies more than two decades of service to Fiji Rugby.
William’s journey with the Flying Fijians has spanned five Rugby World Cups – 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023.
Over those years, he has served in senior roles across physiotherapy, sports medicine and high performance, helping manage player preparation, injuries, rehabilitation, recovery and welfare.
His contribution has also extended to building Fiji Rugby’s sports science and medical systems and developing practitioners who support the country’s elite athletes.
William was also part of one of the greatest periods in Fiji’s sporting history.
At the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, he served as physiotherapist with the Fiji Men’s Rugby Sevens team when Fiji won its first-ever Olympic medal – gold.
Five years later, he was again part of the campaign at Tokyo 2020, serving as head medical while Fiji successfully defended its Olympic title. Five Rugby World Cups. Two Olympic Games. Two Olympic gold-medal campaigns.
Yet much of William’s contribution has happened away from the spotlight, in treatment rooms, rehabilitation sessions and the countless hours spent preparing and caring for athletes.
His work with the Fijian Drua represents another important chapter. As Head of Medical, William is helping strengthen the professional high-performance environment available to Fijian players at home, while mentoring the next generation of sports-medicine professionals.
His approach is centred on putting the athlete first, achieving performance through collaboration, and developing people and sustainable systems.
There is also a fitting symmetry to his journey. Twenty years after his first Rugby World Cup in 2007, William is now looking towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup cycle, continuing his commitment to Fiji’s elite rugby athletes and their welfare.
William’s story captures the spirit of Yat Sen’s anniversary theme, Honouring Our Past. Inspiring Our Future.
A student from the Class of 1995 has gone on to serve Fiji sport at its highest levels, while remaining part of the team behind the team.
For today’s Yat Sen students, his journey carries a powerful message: Success is not measured only by whether you stand on the podium. It can also be measured by how many people you help reach it.
From Yat Sen to Rugby World Cups, Olympic Games and the Fijian Drua, William Koong’s journey is one of service, excellence and contribution, a legacy from the past that can inspire the next generation.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 10: Meli Derenalagi of Fijian Drua is helped by a trainer during the Super Rugby Pacific Trial Match between the Melbourne Rebels and the Fijian Drua at Harleqiuns Rugby on February 10, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
