KOTA KINABALU: First-time competitors stole the spotlight at OCEANMAN Kota Kinabalu 2026, with Malaysia’s Georgene Ee Jern Wee and Vietnam’s Nhat Lam Quang emerging as the overall champions in the female and male categories, respectively.
Both athletes expressed high praise for the seamless execution and world-class organisation of the event, marking a memorable debut on the shores of Sabah.
With their victories, Ee and Quang lead a stellar contingent of top-10 age-group finishers who have officially qualified for the prestigious OCEANMAN World Finals Championship, set to take place in the Dominican Republic this November.
Joining them on the road to the World Championship is 36-year-old visually impaired swimmer Faiq bin Adnan. Faiq secured his qualification alongside his longtime coach and fellow competitor, Dato’ Ooi Win Juat.
The duo shares a remarkable bond, with Faiq noting that Dato’ Ooi has been coaching and guiding him since he was just eight years old.
Following the overwhelming success of the race, event organisers dropped a major announcement regarding the future of the series.
While OCEANMAN Malaysia was initially planned as a three-chapter event in Kota Kinabalu, skyrocketing popularity has prompted a change of plans.
Race Director Azura Zainol Abidin officially confirmed that the championship will return to the iconic shores of Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu, next year.
“Our staff are already familiar with this venue and our partners are already comfortable here, making our groundhandling work smoother. It makes sense to return here next year,” Azura explained, emphasising the strategic value of the location.
The decision to anchor the event in Sabah was warmly welcomed by the Sabah Tourism Board (STB).
CEO Julinus Jeffrey Jimit stated that STB actively aspires to establish Sabah as a premier adventure sports tourism destination within Malaysia.
“We hope that the visiting swimmers and their families will take this opportunity to explore the other beautiful destinations that Sabah has to offer,” Jimit added, inviting participants to extend their stay and fully experience the region’s rich cultural heritage and legendary local hospitality.
With its return locked in for 2027 and a strong contingent heading to the World Finals, OCEANMAN Kota Kinabalu has firmly cemented its status as a crown jewel in the Asian open-water swimming calendar.-pr/BNN
