Transcript of Speech by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the Opening Ceremony of the World Aquatics Championships at Singtel Waterfront Theatre on 10 July 2025

President of World Aquatics, Captain Husain Al-Musallam,

Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Mr David Neo,

Athletes and all others in the World Aquatics community,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Introduction

1.   A very warm welcome to Singapore.

2.   It is a real honour for Singapore to host the World Aquatics Championships 2025. It is the first time too that a Southeast Asian nation is hosting the event. And as Captain Husain observed, it is a special moment for Singapore because it is also the year in which we celebrate our 60^th anniversary since independence.

3.   The world of aquatics has seen remarkable advances in recent years.

   1.   Records that were long unbroken or even thought unbreakable are now regularly surpassed.   

      1.   At the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, ten long-course world records were set – more than triple the number recorded at the previous edition in 2022. That included Frenchman Léon Marchand’s world record in the men’s 400m Individual Medley, breaking Michael Phelps’ record which had held for nearly 15 years.

      2.   At the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships in Budapest, 30 short-course world records were set – more than twice the annual average from 2021 to 2023.

      3.   And Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh set three new world records in just five days last month, including the Women’s 200m Individual Medley record which Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu had held since 2015. Another longstanding record being broken.

   2.   But the advances go beyond records. They speak to the human spirit – the relentless pursuit of what lies just beyond reach. We see this across the aquatic sports: in the increasing complexity of artistic swimming routines; in divers pushing the boundaries of aerial acrobatics to execute more intricate, precise movements; and in water polo’s evolution into a faster and more tactical game.

   3.   We are also seeing excellence emerge from a broader diversity of nations, including small nations. I see several small nations apart from Singapore – Austria among others – here in the audience; small nations who are making their mark in a field that was traditionally dominated by a few powerhouses. We now see champions emerging from all corners of the world – reflecting how opportunity, training, and belief are being shared more widely.

      1.   Some small nations have been prominent for several years, like Croatia, the reigning world champion in men’s water polo.

      2.   But we have now seen other small nations making their mark at the top. Such as when Singapore’s Joseph Schooling won the gold in the 100m Butterfly at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

      3.   And when Erika Fairweather won the Women’s 400m Freestyle in Doha last year, giving New Zealand its first ever gold medal in the World Aquatics Championships.

Celebrating More Than a Competition

4.   Over the next three weeks, we will witness about 2,500 athletes from around the world compete in over 77 medal events. Singapore is also happy to welcome almost 6,000 master-aged athletes who are here for the World Aquatics Masters Championships.

5.   What we celebrate too is the quiet but profound way in which sport can bring us together, even when we root for different teams. In a world increasingly divided, sport reminds us that we can strive together, even as we compete; that we can demonstrate our common humanity.  

Creating a Stage for the World

6. These Championships would not have been possible without the immense and tireless efforts of many.

   1. A heartfelt thanks to World Aquatics and all the officials, the Singapore 2025 Organising Committee, and all the Singapore agencies and their partners and sponsors.

   2. To the volunteers and organising team – a big thank you for the months of hard work behind the scenes to ensure everything goes swimmingly in the next few weeks.

      1. The World Aquatics Championships Arena, holding water three metres deep, was a carpark just eight months ago. It is your dedication that has transformed it into a venue worthy of hosting this world-class championship.

   3. To our guests and international friends, may you discover not just our venues and our food, but also the warmth of our people, and the diversity that makes this island home to many cultures.

Official Launch of World Aquatics Championships

7.              On this note, I hereby declare the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025, open.