Singapore to host 2025 World Para Swimming Championships

Press release provided by: World Para Swimming

World Para Swimming and the Singapore Disabled Sports Council (SDSC) announced Singapore as the host city for the 12th World Para Swimming Championships on Monday 5 February. The championships will be held from 3 to 9 October 2025 at the world-class OCBC Aquatic Center within the Singapore Sports Hub.

The World Para Swimming Championships, held to coincide with Singapore’s 60th anniversary celebrations, will be a testament to the country’s unwavering commitment to inclusivity. Importantly, this milestone event marks the first time that the World Para Swimming Championships will be held in Asia. The 2025 World Aquatics Championships will also be held in Singapore, so it will be a valuable opportunity for swimmers with or without disabilities to compete for the championship.

Craig Nicholson, Head of World Para Swimming, said: “We are delighted to announce that next year’s World Championships will be held in Singapore for the first time in Asia. This is a huge milestone for our sport. Singapore hosted the City Para Swimming World Series for the first time in 2019, and since then we have continued to work hard to provide opportunities and break down barriers for people with disabilities in our society. We have had the opportunity to see first-hand the great work of the Singapore Disability Sports Council. We look forward to working with SDSC and its partners to welcome the world’s best para swimmers to the OCBC Aquatic Center in 2025. I am.”

Para swimming has been a consistent home for the Singapore team, producing Paralympic medalists and world record holders such as Yip Ping Xiu and Teresa Go Ruishi. Additionally, Asian Para Games medalist Toh Wei Sun, Asian record holder Sophie Sun and numerous ASEAN Para Games medalists have contributed to the country’s rich Para swimming heritage. In addition to elite competition, SDSC welcomes approximately 100 individuals with physical, visual, and intellectual disabilities to national championships each year.

SDSC Chairman Dr Teo Ko Sok Mian said: With the generous support of Sports Singapore and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, we aim to reach more Singaporeans through the awareness and partnerships fostered by this event. ”

“There are still many Singaporeans with disabilities who can find inspiration, success and a sense of accomplishment in para swimming and para sports. I hope you too will feel inspired and confident by watching our amazing para swimmers at this competition. We would like to thank our supportive partners and sponsors for working with us to build a lasting legacy for people with disabilities and the broader Singapore community. I sincerely hope that.”

“The 2025 World Para Swimming Championships will be an unforgettable celebration of diversity, athleticism and community.”

Mr Edwin Tong, Minister of Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister of Justice, who was the guest of honor, said: “Hosting the World Para Swimming Championships is an important milestone for Singapore’s disability sports community. , our Team Singapore athletes will be able to compete against the world’s top para swimmers on their home turf, and Singaporeans will be able to watch the competition up close and be inspired.”

transformative impact

In Singapore, community activities featuring different para-sports are planned to raise awareness and reach more people with disabilities.

“SportSG fully supports efforts to improve the lives of people with disabilities through sport, through initiatives such as the Para Sports Academy, the SportCares program and the comprehensive ActiveSG facilities. , we will be able to build on these efforts in the same year that we celebrate SG60 with the World Aquatics Championships being held in Singapore. We look forward to supporting the world’s best swimmers and actively participating in the event’s festivities.” said Alan Goh, co-chair of the Para Swimming Championships Management Committee.

Five-time Paralympic champion swimmer Yip Ping Siu said, “I never imagined that the day would come when I would be able to introduce para swimming to this level in Singapore. It feels truly surreal to know that it will happen in a world-class pool competing on this small island. This only goes to show that Singapore has made tangible strides towards promoting inclusivity over the years. It shows that they have gained the confidence to play a leading role in world affairs. More Singaporeans and organizations will take advantage of the opportunity to watch para swimmers at the World Championships and find ways to get involved. We hope that together we can understand how sport and respect can help change our stories as individuals and as a community.”

Emphasizing a sense of community, para-swimmers, athletes from various sports, coaches, officials and parents enjoyed the traditional Singaporean dish cherished during Lunar New Year, which symbolizes “the act of throwing for good.” He joyfully ended his presentation with “Rohei.” luck. ” This heartwarming act was a collective wish for success at the upcoming World Championships.

Singapore has enjoyed success in recent years in hosting international para swimming competitions, particularly the City Para Swimming World Series in 2019 and 2023. It will remain the tour’s only Asian destination in 2024. The biennial World Para Swimming Championships was most recently held in 2023. Around 600 elite para swimmers from more than 60 countries are expected to gather in the vibrant garden city of Manchester, England.

As part of the preparations for the championships, a new para-swimming learning program called ‘Swim Together’ was also introduced by SDSC on Monday.

Developed by World Para Swimming, Singapore will be one of the first countries in the world to launch the program, with workshops starting in May 2024 alongside the City Para Swimming World Series Singapore. SDSC aims to equip more local swim coaches with the skills and confidence to welcome people with disabilities into the world of swimming.

Manchester 2023 medal table