Sabah promotes OCEANMAN open-water race

KOTA KINABALU, 12 March 2025: 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 to compete in Sabah’s coastal seas. 

The competition, which will be held from 19 to 20 July in Kota Kinabalu, will welcome athletes from Indonesia, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, India, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore.

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 last week’s International Exchange Tourism (ITB Berlin).

He said hosting international events like OCEANMAN promotes sports tourism and 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,” Minister 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.

For more information on Sabah tourism visit: https://sabahtourism.com/

(Source: Sabah Tourism Board)