Singapore gets nod to host 2025 World Aquatics Championships
Top swimmers, divers, water polo teams to compete in city-state, after Russia city Kazan stripped of hosting rights
SINGAPORE — The world's top swimmers, divers and water polo teams will be coming to Singapore in 2025, after the city-state was awarded the hosting rights for the World Aquatics Championships.
Over 2,500 athletes are expected to participate in the event - widely considered to be the second-most prestigious aquatics competition after the Olympics - which will bring together the six aquatics sports of swimming, water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open-water swimming and high diving.
Singapore will be the first Southeast Asian nation to host the World Championships, and the fourth Asian country after Japan, China and South Korea. The original 2025 hosts, Kazan, had their hosting rights stripped due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, allowing Singapore to step in.
While the exact dates have yet to be confirmed, the competitions will take place include the Singapore Sports Hub, the Singapore Indoor Stadium and the OCBC Aquatic Centre.
“World Aquatics could not be happier to know that the hosting of our main event for 2025 is in such good hands,” said World Aquatics president Husain Al-Musallam during the hosting right signing ceremony at Singapore Sports Hub on Thursday (9 February).
“Singapore has everything we hope to share with our athletes: world-class facilities, proven experience of hosting events of the highest quality and a comprehensive approach to aquatic sports that runs from elite level to the community."
Third consecutive Asian venue for World C'ships
Singapore would be the third consecutive Asian venue for the World Championships, following Fukuoka this year and Doha next year.
The city-state itself has hosted top aquatics event such as World Cups in five of the six aquatics sports, as well as the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships.
“Our whole community is excited about the opportunities that will come from bringing the world’s best aquatics athletes to Singapore: from the teams that have represented us with honour at the Olympic Games and the World Aquatics Championships, to the young people training in our clubs,” said Singapore Swimming Association president Mark Chay.
Singapore swimmers and divers are elated at the prospect of competing with the best in the world with their loved ones and fellow Singaporeans cheering them from the stands.
Teong Tzen Wei, Asia's fastest 50m butterfly swimmer, said that since he began his competitive swimming career in 2017, he has yet to experience competing in a major competition on home soil.
"It would be a real treat and blessing for me to experience what it feels like to have the home fans cheering me on, and to see how far the energy is able to push me," the 25-year-old said.
Similarly, 16-year-old diver Max Lee - who finished fourth in last year's Fina World Junior Diving Championships - feels the World Championships will influence more Singaporeans to take up diving.
"Not only will we be able to see the best divers in the world competing at their best in the World Aquatics Championships, but hopefully more people can also join and try the sport out, and the event can inspire the next generation of divers in the region," he said.
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