If you love watching world-class sport, you’ll love this upcoming swimming event. The FINA Swimming World Cup Singapore 2019 presented by Yakult returns to the OCBC Aquatic Centre from 15 to 17 August, with the promise of plenty of action in the pool. Here’s why you should make a point of going along. (And read on for details of a ticket giveaway!)
#1 Some of swimming’s biggest stars are competing
Any sporting world cup attracts huge names, and this one is no exception. The Singapore leg of the event this year will feature Olympic and World Champions including Australian household names such as Cate Campbell, Emily Seebohm and Mitch Larkin, and Hungarian “Iron Lady” Katinka Hosszu, who was the 2018 FINA World Cup Overall Champion and is the “winningest” swimmer in the event’s history. Also set to appear are Americans Michael Andrew and Blake Pieroni, along with athletes from South Africa, Russia, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, Jamaica and more.
#2 Singapore swimmers will be centre stage
Who can forget that magic moment at the Rio Olympics in August 2016, when Singapore’s Joseph Schooling stormed home to win the country’s first ever Olympic gold medal? In a class field in the 100m butterfly final, Schooling denied America’s Michael Phelps a sixth gold medal at the meet by touching the wall in an Olympic record time.
Schooling will be in the pool at the FINA Swimming World Cup, aiming to bring glory to Singapore, and will be joined by Amanda Lim, Christie Chue, Teong Tzen Wei and Darren Chua. It’ll be a great warm-up for the team as they prepare for the SEA Games in the Philippines in December. When asked about swimming in Singapore, the Olympic champ told the press, “It’s always fun racing in front of a home crowd as we know how supportive they are of us.”
#3 It has a new race format
There’s a good reason why this event was adjudged best international sports event at the Singapore Sports Awards 2019. It’s a fast and furious three-day meet that sees swimmers compete for US$2.5 million in prize money. (As if they needed extra incentive to win!) There’s a change in the format this year, too. While the Swimming World Cup has traditionally featured short-course (25 metre) racing, the upcoming Singapore event will feature a long-course (50 metre) race format, same as at the Olympic Games.
#4 It means Tokyo 2020 is just around the corner
Speaking of the Olympics, this will be the final opportunity for fans in Singapore to catch their local swimming heroes face off against the international stars live in action on home soil before the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo (24 July to 9 August 2020). In fact, the Singapore event is considered a qualifier event for Tokyo, which adds to importance of each swim.
#5 The public can get involved
Fans will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with their swim heroes at swim clinics at different swim clubs in Singapore, and at the Sports Hub Kallang Wave Mall when the swimmers hold a press conference on 14 August, from 3 to 5pm.
Then there’s the Yakult Relay Challenge, on 17 August, which will allow the community to compete against one another in a 4 x 50m relay race. This challenge is open to schools, families and corporates. To register or for more information, visit swimming.org.sg.
Fans are also encouraged to come early on the days of the event to enjoy the fringe activities outside the OCBC Aquatic Centre.
Everything you need to know about the event:
When: 15-17 August (Thursday to Saturday). Heat swims begin at 9.30am each day, and Finals at 6.30pm.
Where: OCBC Aquatic Centre, 7 Stadium Drive, Singapore 397632. The nearest MRT station is Stadium.
How: Buy your tickets at sportshub.com.sg/FINA-SWC-2019.
Info: Visit swimming.org.sg for more.
Want to catch the FINA Swimming World Cup live? We’re giving away 30 tickets! Click below to enter:
Win! A pair of tickets to Thursday, 15 August
Win! A pair of tickets to Friday, 16 August
Win! A pair of tickets to Saturday, 17 August
Like this? See our Events section for more things to do and see in the city.
