Cover Mark Chay, co-chair of the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 organising committee, at the WCH Arena, a key competition venue (Photo: Melvin Wong)
Mark Chay, co-chair of the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 organising committee, at the WCH Arena, a key competition venue (Photo: Melvin Wong)
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The two-time Olympian on leading Singapore’s most ambitious aquatics spectacle, World Aquatics Championships, running from July 11 to August 3, while shaping and inspiring the nation’s sporting future
Singapore will host over 2,500 athletes from more than 200 nations for the World Aquatics Championships 2025 (WCH 2025)—the first time this prestigious event is held in Southeast Asia. The competition, held from July 11 to August 3, will feature 77 medal events across six aquatic sports: swimming, artistic swimming, water polo, diving, high diving and open-water swimming.
For Mark Chay, co-chair of the organising committee, the event represents more than just record‑breaking feats; it is the realisation of a vision decades in the making. “Sport has been a big part of my life and shaped who I am today,” reflects the 43-year‑old, whose journey from national swimmer and two-time Olympian to sports administrator embodies Singapore’s evolving sporting ambitions.
“I truly believe in the power of sport to unite, inspire and motivate,” says Chay, whose competitive swimming career spanned a decade from 1997 to 2007. He made his Olympic debut at Sydney 2000, where he set a national record in the 200m freestyle and also competed in the 100m freestyle. He again represented Singapore at the Athens 2004 Olympics, and competed in the Commonwealth, Asian, and Southeast Asian Games before retiring in 2007.
Unlike today’s generation of Singaporean athletes, Chay never had the opportunity to compete at a world-class event on home ground. “[When I was still competing], Singapore never hosted [such events],” he recalls. “I was fortunate to have the support of friends and family while competing overseas, but what we’re seeing now is how Singapore has evolved—reimagining itself as a global hub for sporting events.”
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Above “Water Shapes Us” is the theme for the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 (Photo: World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025)
“Water Shapes Us” is the theme for the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 (Photo: World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025)
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This has influenced Chay’s mission to grow sport in Singapore. As he transitioned from athlete to coach, then president of Singapore Aquatics (until August 2024), and now secretary‑general of the Singapore National Olympic Council since April, Chay remains committed to creating opportunities for athletes to excel. “I want to help athletes improve, perform at their best, and give them the opportunities they deserve.”
Themed “Water Shapes Us”, the World Aquatics Championships 2025 resonate with Singapore’s identity as an island nation. “We have one of the busiest ports in the world—water shapes our geography, our people, and our daily lives,” Chay explains. Singapore’s focus on innovation in event infrastructure, from temporary venues to sustainability initiatives, would set new benchmarks for when the country hosts large-scale sports events in the future.
In addition to the OCBC Aquatic Centre at the Singapore Sports Hub, the championships will feature two temporary venues. “You can’t just build a big stadium and expect to host world championships every year,” Chay pragmatically notes. The purpose-built 4,800 capacity World Aquatics Championships Arena, or WCH Arena, at the Singapore Sports Hub strikes the perfect balance between atmosphere and practicality—large enough to generate excitement, yet intimate enough to ensure a packed house. Meanwhile, Sentosa will host open-water swimming on Palawan Beach and high diving on Palawan Green.
Above The purpose-built 4,800 capacity World Aquatics Championships Arena at the Singapore Sports Hub (Photo: World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025)
The purpose-built 4,800 capacity World Aquatics Championships Arena at the Singapore Sports Hub (Photo: World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025)
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Above The high diving venue on Palawan Green at Sentosa (Photo: World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025)
The high diving venue on Palawan Green at Sentosa (Photo: World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025)
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One key sustainability initiative is the “Trash to Treasure” programme, which will transform some 100,000 recycled aluminium cans into 5,000 medals. The collection effort involved students from kindergarten to secondary school. “They’ll definitely feel a sense of pride when they see something they helped create being presented to world champions,” Chay says. “It’s a great way to engage the public and raise awareness on important issues like sustainability.”
For Chay, true success extends beyond medal counts or attendance figures. His vision encompasses a fundamental shift in Singapore’s sporting culture, from event‑based excitement to everyday participation. “At the end of the day, it’s a culture that’s going to nurture world beaters,” he emphasises. “Without a strong sporting culture, we won’t have parents sending their teenage son to the US to train and compete with the world’s best, like with Singapore’s only Olympic champion, Joseph Schooling. Nor will we have employers supporting athletes by giving them time off to represent Singapore.”
Chay’s swimming background continues to inform his approach. “Swimming is an interesting sport where you have to push yourself to swim faster. There’s a fair amount of pain. How do you push through the barriers when your body is screaming for you to stop?” These lessons in dedication and commitment translate directly to his sports administrator role.
Above One key sustainability initiative of WCH 2025 is the “Trash to Treasure” programme (Photo: World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025)
Above Singapore Olympic champion Joseph Schooling (pictured right) at one of the community roadshows (Photo: World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025)
One key sustainability initiative of WCH 2025 is the “Trash to Treasure” programme (Photo: World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025)
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Aside from the elite competition, Singapore will also host the World Aquatics Masters Championships, from July 26 to August 22. This mass participation event featuring five aquatic sports—swimming, artistic swimming, water polo, diving and open-water swimming—is open to both international and local participants aged 25 and above. “Aquatics is one of those sports you can enjoy for life,” says Chay. “It’s low-impact, you can swim at your own pace and on your own time, and it provides a great full‑body workout. With the World Aquatics Masters Championships, we’re encouraging our more senior Singaporeans to take part in structured programmes that promote a more active and healthy lifestyle.”
Sport remains one of the most powerful ways to build character, says Chay—something he hopes will shine through at the World Aquatics Championships. “I hope the younger generation still sees sport as a means of inspiring their counterparts,” Chay reflects. “In this digital age, it’s values that will set individuals apart. You can learn about teamwork and communication in theory, but the best way to practice them is through sport.”
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And for Chay, it is not just about breaking records. “I’m also looking forward to athletes enjoying themselves and having fun,” he says. He hopes that they will also take the opportunity to experience all that Singapore has to offer. “When the world comes together, we inspire one another to be our best.”
As Singapore welcomes the world’s top aquatic athletes, Chay balances between honouring past achievements and inspiring the next generation. Under his leadership, the nation is poised to shape the future of sport and leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.
As Senior Editor of Tatler Singapore, Hashirin champions and refines the storytelling across platforms—curating and crafting compelling profiles, cover stories and features that spotlight visionaries shaping culture, business and impact. Driven by curiosity, she draws inspiration from the artists, changemakers and trailblazers she encounters through her work. Beyond the pages of Tatler, she is an avid supporter of local theatre and delights in seeking out art in every city she visits.
