Port City’s Open Water Swimming Championship aims for FINA spot

For the first time, Sri Lanka will host a FINA-recognized Open Water Swimming Championship, as the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) is set to bring its Annual 1km, 3km, and Open Water Swimming Championships to Beach Park, Port City Colombo this weekend.

The event will take place on Saturday and Sunday, with a variety of races, including the 1km, 3km, 5km and 10km Open Water swimming events. This marks a significant step as SLASU aims to make this an annual feature on the international FINA event calendar.

“We hope to continue hosting the 5km Open Water Championship at Port City Colombo, much like the historic Mount Lavinia Two Miles Sea Swim, which has been a tradition for over eight decades,” said SLASU General Secretary Mahinda Liyanage.

SLASU has already conducted the 5km Open Water Swimming Championship for 14 years in different locations. However, this year’s event will officially be named the Port City Colombo 5km Open Water Championship, marking the start of what they hope will be a long-standing tradition at the scenic location.

The 3km Sprint, 5km, and 10km events are internationally recognized by FINA, the global governing body for aquatics. “We are gradually aligning our events with World Aquatics standards, and this is a step toward including this championship in FINA’s annual calendar,” Liyanage explained.

The 1km event will be for swimmers aged 12 to 13, the 3km event will be for 14 to 15-year-olds, and the 5km race will be open to anyone aged 16 and older. The 10km event is for swimmers over 18 years old.

Sri Lanka has never hosted a FINA event before. This will be the country’s first attempt to get FINA recognition, with the goal of including the Port City Colombo Open Water Swimming Championship in the FINA annual calendar after a successful run this year.

“We aim to make this an internationally recognized event. Once we finish successfully this year, we hope to get FINA approval,” added Liyanage.

With the growing popularity of Port City Colombo as a tourist destination, SLASU also hopes to attract international swimmers in the coming years. The government’s focus on boosting tourism provides further momentum for the event.

A press briefing will be held on Friday at the Royal College Skill Centre, Colombo 7, where event guidelines will be announced for the participants, including team leaders, coaches, and captains.

Over 350 swimmers are expected to take part in this two-day event. The 10km race will take place on Saturday, followed by the 5km and 3km Sprint events on Sunday, with the 1km race rounding out the event. All races will finish before 1 PM.

With international recognition and Sri Lanka’s growing prominence in the world of aquatic sports, SLASU is welcoming sponsors for this exciting event at Beach Park, Port City Colombo, which is becoming a major tourism hub in Sri Lanka.

 Source:Daily News