SINGAPORE, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The 3km knockout sprint, a brand-new medal event, is set to make its debut at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, on Saturday morning at the Sentosa Island.
Featuring at a World Championships for the first time, the format contains three races in quick succession, tournament-style: two 1,500m open water heats, followed by a 1,000m sprint heat, and concluding with a decisive 500m sprint to determine the final winner.
The 3km knockout sprint first appeared at last year's Open Water World Junior Championships and was later featured at two of the three World Cup stops in 2025. In Singapore, 65 male and 59 female athletes are set to compete in their respective events.
China is also fielding contenders, with Tian Muran and Cheng Hanyu racing in the women's event, while Zhang Jihong and Lan Tianchen will compete in the men's.
According to governing body World Aquatics, this new format brings a compelling twist to open water racing. With only about 10 minutes between races and significantly shorter distances than traditional open water events, the competition places a premium on recovery, speed and endurance.
Both current open water standouts will take on the new challenge. Australia's Moesha Johnson - gold medalist in both the 5km and 10km - and Germany's Florian Wellbrock, who also won both distances in Singapore, are considered favorites in the 3km knockout sprint. ■
