Malaysia Succesfully Hosts Southeast Asia Finswimming Championship 2026

137 athletes from four Southeast Asian nations compete across 72 events in Johor Bahru, with Malaysia securing second place overall

The Southeast Asia Finswimming Championship 2026 and the inaugural Southeast Asia Age Group Finswimming Championship 2026 that took place from 29 October – 31st October 2026, successfully concluded at the MBJB Aquatic Centre in Johor Bahru, Johor, marking an important milestone in the development of finswimming across Southeast Asia.

Organised by the Malaysia Finswimming Association (MFSA), the championships brought together 137 athletes from four nations, comprising Malaysia (61), Vietnam (46), Cambodia (17) and Indonesia (13), competing across 72 events.

A significant highlight was the successful introduction of the 1st Southeast Asia Age Group Finswimming Championship, establishing a dedicated regional competitive platform for younger athletes alongside the senior championship. This initiative represents an important step towards strengthening athlete development pathways and providing greater opportunities for emerging finswimmers to gain international competitive experience.

The championships were spearheaded by Mr. Ravivarma Sanmugam, President of MFSA, following his election as President of CMAS Southeast Asia in 2026. The successful organisation of both championships was made possible through the commitment and cooperation of the participating Southeast Asian nations, together with the organising committee led by Mr. Mohd Azwim bin Kamarulzaman, Organising Chairman and Deputy President of MFSA.

The championships were officially opened by Yang Berhormat Puan Nadhirah Afiqah binti Abdull Rahim, Deputy Chairman of the Youth & Sports, Entrepreneur Development & Co-operatives Committee and Johor State Assembly Member for Serom, representing the Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia approved an RM80,000 matching grant, presented by Mr. Tony Azman bin Hassan, Deputy Director of the Johor State Youth and Sports Department. The funding contributed towards enhancing the competition venue, facilities and overall experience for participating athletes and spectators.

The championships also benefited from the support of the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) and Johor State Sports Council (MSNJ), particularly in providing the venue, facilitating pool-area preparations and coordinating essential logistical arrangements.

Mr. Kiry Hem, Secretary General of CMAS Southeast Asia, served as Technical Delegate, supporting the technical conduct of the championships alongside the appointed technical officials.

Another milestone was the introduction of live broadcasting for the first time at the Southeast Asia Finswimming Championships, extending the competition's reach beyond the venue and providing greater visibility for participating athletes, nations and the sport itself.

The opening ceremony also celebrated Malaysia's multicultural heritage through a welcome dance presented by Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Johor, showcasing the country's cultural diversity and extending a warm welcome to the international delegations.

Corporate and tourism partners played an important role in enhancing the championship experience. Baguss Enterprise Sdn Bhd sponsored the custom-designed championship medals, Best Athlete trophies and Overall Challenge Trophy. In conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026, Tourism Johor contributed souvenirs for all participating athletes, promoting Johor's hospitality and tourism identity to international visitors.

On the competitive front, Malaysia secured second place in the overall medal standings, recording 46 gold, 54 silver and 57 bronze medals, for a total of 157 medals, according to the official championship results.

Strengthening Regional Development and Future Opportunities

Beyond the competition results, the championships demonstrated the growing participation in finswimming across Southeast Asia and Malaysia's capability to organise international-level aquatic competitions.

Following the recent finalisation of the competition programme for the SEA Games Malaysia 2027, MFSA hopes to explore the possibility of presenting finswimming as a non-medal showcase or demonstration sport during the Games, subject to consideration and approval by the relevant sporting authorities.

Finswimming shares several operational requirements with competitive swimming, including the use of standard swimming pools, electronic timing systems and comparable competition management arrangements. This creates potential opportunities to utilise existing aquatic infrastructure and selected operational resources, while maintaining the sport's specific technical and safety requirements.

MFSA believes that such a showcase could introduce finswimming to a wider regional audience, demonstrate its competitive appeal and support its consideration for inclusion in future SEA Games editions. With multiple competitive disciplines and distances, finswimming could also provide additional medal opportunities for Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations if included in future Games programmes.

Appreciation and Looking Ahead

MFSA extends its sincere appreciation to the participating nations of Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam, whose support and commitment were instrumental in making the championships possible.

The association also acknowledges the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia, Johor State Government, Johor State Youth and Sports Department, Johor Bahru City Council, Johor State Sports Council, Tourism Johor, Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Johor, Baguss Enterprise Sdn Bhd, and all other contributing partners for their valuable support.

Special appreciation is extended to the organising committee, technical officials, volunteers, coaches, team managers and athletes whose dedication and cooperation contributed to the successful delivery of the championships.

Vietnam will host the next edition of the Southeast Asia Finswimming Championships in 2027, continuing the region's commitment to strengthening sporting cooperation, expanding athlete development opportunities and advancing finswimming throughout Southeast Asia.

The successful conclusion of Johor Bahru 2026 reflects the collective efforts of participating nations and supporting partners in building a stronger and more sustainable future for finswimming in the region.