RISING POPULARITY OF OCEANMAN DRAWS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITORS

KOTA KINABALU: Participation in this year’s OCEANMAN is expected to more than triple compared to last year, reflecting the event’s growing appeal among international open water swimmers.

Set for July 19-20 in Kota Kinabalu, the competition will welcome athletes from Indonesia, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, India, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore, among others.

OCEANMAN Malaysia Event Director Azura Zainol Abidin said the event is on track for significant growth from last year’s 180 participants, with more swimmers signing up as registration remains open.

Assistant Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai officially launched OCEANMAN 2025, supported by the Sabah Tourism Board, at the recently concluded International Exchange Tourism (ITB Berlin).

He said hosting international events like OCEANMAN not only promotes sports tourism but also showcases Sabah’s world-class natural assets and proves that the state can deliver exceptional global experiences.

“Sabah is more than just a travel destination. It’s a playground for adventurers, a training ground for athletes, and a stage for world-class competitions,” Joniston said.

He added that events of this scale help strengthen Sabah’s reputation while supporting the local economy, from hotels and restaurants to transport and small businesses.

He also said hosting large-scale events supports Sabah’s goal of reaching 3.3 million tourist arrivals this year.

Joniston led the Sabah Tourism Board delegation to ITB Berlin, accompanied by Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Ministry’s Deputy Permanent Secretary II, Alesia Sion, and Sabah Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Julinus Jeffery Jimit.