Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

The sport of open water swimming is growing fast. But not everywhere.

The Olympic Games has an open water swimming event. The Special Olympics World Summer Games have an open water swimming event. The World University Games have open water swimming events. The European Swimming Championships have open water swimming events.

The Southeast Asian Games have open water swimming events. The Pan Pacific Swimming Championships and the Pan American Games have an open water swimming event as do the Asian Beach Games, South American Beach Games, Polar Olympics, and many other international competitions.

But there are no open water swimming events at the Commonwealth Games – or the upcoming 17th Asian Games in South Korea that is scheduled to open on September 19th

Triathlon events are also held at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, but there is no open water.

With the pool swimming, water polo, synchronized swimming, and diving so well-organized at the Asian Games, with so many people in Asia participating in open water swimming events throughout the region, and with open water swimming as an Olympic event recognized by the IOC, it is a wonder why open water swimming does not exist in the Asian Games.

The 17th Asian Games organizers announced that over 9,800 athletes will compete in Incheon, Korea, featuring 36 sports and teams from 45 nations. One of these days, open water swimmers will be included.

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