Premier open-water swimming event back to Sabah
Dubbed Oceanman Kota Kinabalu, the competition will take place on Sunday at Pantai Dalit in Tuaran near here.
In its first chapter last year, Oceanman Kota Kinabalu welcomed 200 participants.
This year, the competition is welcoming 592 participating swimmers from 39 countries — a whopping 196 per cent increase.
The event will feature a range of distances, including the Sprint 2km, 5km, 10km 500-metre relay race, as well as the Oceankids 500-metre race, catering to swimmers of all levels.
Oceanman has also proven to be an inclusive sporting event — welcoming participants as young as 7 years old and as old as 70.
It also has the Inspiration Category for swimmers with disabilities.
The event director, Azura Zainol Abidin, said they were thrilled to bring Oceanman again to Sabah after last year's successful event.
"Kota Kinabalu offers an incredible setting for this world-class event, and we are confident that it will be a resounding success yet again," he said in a statement.
Race director Amirizal Ishak said they were organising an exciting, enjoyable open-water swimming series for swimmers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
"This event is perfect for a 'swimcation' with the whole family. The support from Tourism Malaysia and the Sabah Tourism Board will be instrumental in making Oceanman a mainstay Sabah event."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
5 hours ago
- Borneo Post
592 swimmers from 39 countries compete in OCEANMAN
From left: Sabahan Jaeda Jane Khan (Female Junior), Olivia Smith (Female Master 20-29) and Signe Waldbauer (Female Master 30-39). KOTA KINABALU (July 21): The breathtaking scenery of Pantai Dalit, Tuaran has made it a fan favourite among holidaymakers looking to enjoy the best of Sabah's tropical paradise. Yesterday, Pantai Dalit once again became the chosen playground for 592 swimmers from 39 countries, vying to qualify for the OCEANMAN World Final Championship 2025 in Dubai, UAE, from December 3rd to 7th, 2025. This year's edition of OCEANMAN Kota Kinabalu challenged swimmers of all ages and abilities to test their limits against the backdrop of the breathtaking Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu's coastline. The event featured a range of distances, including the Sprint 2km, 5km, 10km and 500-metre relay race, as well as the OCEANKIDS 500-metre race, catering to swimmers of all levels. Despite the choppy waves and strong wind conditions on that day, which affected the event's scheduling, the event still proceeded relatively smoothly. 'We wanted all our swimmers to swim and compete under the best sea conditions,' said OCEANMAN Event Director, Azura Zainol Abidin. 'Based on the technical review, we had to decide to change some of the flag timings,' she concluded. OCEANMAN Kota Kinabalu offered a unique and unforgettable experience of swimming in crystal-clear waters surrounded by lush tropical landscapes. 'With such strong international representation, I believe OCEANMAN will help propel Sabah's reputation as a leading sports tourism destination in Malaysia,' said Sabah Tourism Board CEO Julinus Jeffrey Jimit. 'As the host venue for 2024 to 2026, we are excited about the potential this event holds for positioning Sabah as a prime destination for sports tourism. And with the event being held in Tuaran instead of the city centre, we are also excited to be able to highlight rural tourism to all the participants,' he added. Julinus also remarked that the economic impact of events like OCEANMAN cannot be overstated. Sports tourism is a growing segment that attracts high-spending visitors who not only participate in the event but also explore the surrounding areas. By hosting this prestigious series, STB is positioning Sabah as a destination for active travellers who seek meaningful, adventure-filled experiences. The OCEANMAN World Series event is the largest open-water event in the world. OCEANMAN Kota Kinabalu 2025 is organised by Tough Gorilla Ventures with support from the Sabah Tourism Board, Tourism Malaysia and Shangri-la Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu as the co-sponsors. The top 10 swimmers in every age group, as well as the top three from the Inspiration category, will get a qualification slot for the OCEANMAN World Final in OCEANMAN, Half OCEANMAN, and Sprint distances.
Daily Express
15 hours ago
- Daily Express
592 compete in Oceanman Kota Kinabalu
Published on: Monday, July 21, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 21, 2025 Text Size: Some of the competitors taking part in the event on Sunday. Kota Kinabalu: Pantai Dalit again became the playground for 592 swimmers from 39 countries, vying to qualify for the Oceanman World Final Championship 2025 in Dubai, UAE, from December 3 to 7. This year's edition of Oceanman Kota Kinabalu challenged swimmers of all ages and abilities to test their limits against the backdrop of the breathtaking Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu's coastline. Advertisement The event featured a range of distances, including the Sprint 2km, 5km, 10km, and 500-metre relay race, as well as the Oceankids 500-metre race, catering to swimmers of all levels. Despite the choppy waves and strong wind conditions on Sunday, which affected the event's scheduling, the event still proceeded relatively smoothly. 'We wanted all our swimmers to swim and compete under the best sea conditions,' said Oceanman Event Director Azura Zainol Abidin. 'Based on the technical review, we had to decide to change some of the flag timings,' she concluded. Oceanman Kota Kinabalu offered a unique and unforgettable experience of swimming in crystal-clear waters surrounded by lush tropical landscapes. 'With such strong international representation, I believe Oceanman will help propel Sabah's reputation as a leading sports tourism destination in Malaysia,' said Sabah Tourism Board CEO Julinus Jeffrey Jimit. 'As the host venue for 2024 to 2026, we are excited about the potential this event holds for positioning Sabah as a prime destination for sports tourism. And with the event being held in Tuaran instead of the city centre, we are also excited to be able to highlight rural tourism to all the participants,' Julinus added. Julinus also remarked that the economic impact of events like Oceanman cannot be overstated. Sports tourism is a growing segment that attracts high-spending visitors who not only participate in the event but also explore the surrounding areas. By hosting this prestigious series, STB is positioning Sabah as a destination for active travellers who seek meaningful, adventure-filled experiences. The Oceanman World Series event is the largest open-water event in the world. Oceanman Kota Kinabalu 2025 is organised by Tough Gorilla Ventures with support from the Sabah Tourism Board, Tourism Malaysia and Shangri-la Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu as the co-sponsors. The top 10 swimmers in every age group, as well as the top 3 from the Inspiration category, will get a qualification slot for the Oceanman World Final in Oceanman, Half Oceanman and Sprint distances. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
4 days ago
- Daily Express
Oceanman makes a return this Sunday
Published on: Friday, July 18, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 18, 2025 Text Size: Participants of a previous Oceanman Malaysia event with their medals. Kota Kinabalu: Oceanman, the world's premier open-water swimming endurance event, is set to return to Sabah with the second edition of Oceanman Kota Kinabalu on July 20 (Sunday), in the waters of Pantai Dalit, Tuaran. The competition will challenge swimmers of all ages and abilities to test their limits against the backdrop of the breathtaking Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu's coastline. Advertisement The event will feature a range of distances, including the Sprint 2km, 5km, 10km 500-metre relay race, as well as the Oceankids 500-metre race, catering to swimmers of all levels. Participants can expect a unique and unforgettable experience, swimming in crystal-clear waters surrounded by lush tropical landscapes. The event will also showcase the beauty and diversity of Sabah's marine life and ecosystems. 'We are thrilled to bring Oceanman to Sabah for the second time, after last year's successful event,' said Azura Zainol Abidin, Event Director of Oceanman Malaysia. 'Kota Kinabalu offers an incredible setting for this world-class event, and we are confident that it will be a resounding success yet again,' Azura added. In its first chapter last year in October, Oceanman Kota Kinabalu welcomed 200 participants. This year, Oceanman Kota Kinabalu is welcoming 592 participating swimmers from 39 countries around the world, signifying a strong sign of global interest and engagement in the sport. This open water swimming event challenges these swimmers to test their swimming capabilities in an open sea setting, as opposed to within the constraints of a swimming pool. In addition, this global event is also expected to contribute to the local economy and tourism industry in Sabah. 'We are organising an exciting, enjoyable open water swimming series under a cleverly branded umbrella for swimmers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds,' says Race Director Amirizal Ishak. 'This event is perfect for a 'swimcation' with the whole family. The support from Tourism Malaysia and the Sabah Tourism Board will be instrumental in making the Oceanman event a mainstay as a Sabah event. Hopefully, Oceanman will offer an exciting new experience for the Visit Malaysia Year 2026,' he said. Julinus Jeffrey Jimit, CEO of the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) believes the event can help strengthen Sabah's reputation as a leading sports tourism destination in Malaysia. 'As the host venue for Oceanman Malaysia these three years (2024-2026), we are excited about the potential this event holds for positioning Sabah as a prime destination for sports tourism,' he said. Oceanman has also proven to be an inclusive sporting event welcoming participants as young as 7 years old and as old as 70 on top of an Inspiration Category for swimmers with disabilities. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
