SINGAPORE: The start of the open water swimming competition at the World Aquatics Championships has been delayed by a day due to concerns over water quality off Sentosa, organisers confirmed on 15 July 2025.
The women’s 10km race, initially set for the morning of 15 July, has been rescheduled to 16 July.
This decision came just under eight hours before its intended 8am start time.
World Aquatics, in coordination with the Singapore 2025 organising committee, announced the postponement after recent water samples exceeded safety thresholds.
A total of 69 swimmers had been due to compete in the race, which was slated to open the open water swimming segment of the championships.
The women’s event will now be held on the same day as the men’s 10km race.
In its official statement, World Aquatics said the decision was made “in the best interests of athlete health and safety, which remains World Aquatics and the Singapore 2025 organising committee’s top priority”.
The water quality review involved World Aquatics, the local organising committee, the World Aquatics Sports Medicine Committee, and the Open Water Swimming Technical Committee.
Samples collected in the lead-up to the race had met the federation’s standards.
However, tests conducted on 13 July indicated that the water quality had fallen below acceptable levels.
Despite the setback, organisers stated that the rest of the open water programme remains unchanged.
The men’s and women’s 5km events are set to proceed on 18 July, followed by the 3km knock-out sprint on 19 July, and the mixed 4×1,500m relay on 20 July.
Further water quality testing and assessments will continue throughout the championships to ensure safety conditions are maintained.
The World Aquatics Championships are being held in Singapore for the first time, having officially opened on 11 July with the water polo tournament at the OCBC Aquatic Centre.
The championships comprise six disciplines: swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming.
Over 2,500 athletes from more than 200 countries and territories are participating in the event.
This is not the first instance of poor water quality affecting major sporting events.
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, the men’s triathlon was postponed just hours before it was due to begin, after a pre-dawn inspection found pollution levels in the River Seine too high for competition.
Swimming in the Seine had previously been banned for more than 100 years due to pollution.
Ahead of the Games, Paris had invested €1.4 billion (S$2.09 billion) in a river clean-up initiative to prepare the venue for Olympic events.
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