World Aquatics defers Sentosa Open water race due to poor water quality
World Aquatics

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World Aquatics defers Sentosa Open water race due to poor water quality

Aiah Bathan
By Aiah Bathan
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SINGAPORE: World Aquatics, together with the Singapore 2025 Organising Committee, recently postponed the women’s 10-km open water swimming race at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore due to poor water quality.  For the first time in history, the World Aquatics Championships are taking place in Singapore. The event includes six sports: swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming. About 2,500 athletes from over 200 countries are competing in the championships. However, after a review by the governing associations and other expert committees, the women's 10-km open water swimming race was postponed for the safety of the athletes. Previously, test results showed that the water quality was okay for the race. However, another round of samples was taken days before the event,nd the water was found unsafe. The athletes' health and safety are top priority; that is why the event has been postponed. Organisers will keep testing the water, which has to meet safety standards before the race is held. Here is the updated open water swimming schedule: 
  • Jul 16– Men’s 10 km at 7:30SGT / Women’s 10 km at 10:15SGT
  • Jul 17 – Regularly Scheduled Off Day
  • Jul 18 – Men’s and Women’s 5km
  • Jul 19 – Men’s and Women’s 3-km Knockout Sprint
  • Jul 20 – Mixed 4×1500-m Relay
World Aquatics apologises for the delay and appreciates the efforts of all athletes, coaches, and teams for their hard work.  On social media, netizens expressed their thoughts and opinions on the issue. One netizen stated: “Everyone knows that you can not in Singapore waters…”.  Another netizen remarked: “worse than in Paris…” One more netizen said: “With all the clean water in the world to swim in, why do we keep scheduling world events in places with dirty water?”  “It is a shame we can't have clean water everywhere... Oh wait, we can!! Humans just don't want it enough to make clean water a top priority,” another netizen declared.  Unfortunately, this is not the first time that poor water quality has been a hindrance to major sports events. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, also, events were delayed due to pollution in the River Seine being too high. In fact, swimming in the Seine had been banned for over 100 years because of pollution. Before the Paris Olympics, the government spent €1.4 billion (S$2.09 billion) to clean up the river and get it ready for the Games.

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