C'SHIP MEDALS MADE FROM RECYCLED CANS

S'pore organisers of World Aquatics C'ships set sustainability benchmark with initiative

- Melvyn Teoh

In an effort to go green and support sustainable sporting practices, organisers of the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) and World Aquatics Masters in Singapore will be awarding medals made from recycled aluminium cans during the meets in July and August.

At the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkletots in Marsiling on March 12, the WCH's Singapore 2025 organising committee unveiled its Trash to Treasure initiative, where students from five PCF pre-schools, eight primary schools and three secondary schools contributed to the nearly 100,000 aluminium cans required for the 5,000 medals.

These medals will be given out at the July 11-Aug 3 WCH and the masters event from July 26 to Aug 22.

More than 2,500 athletes are expected to compete in 77 medal events across six aquatic sports—swimming, artistic swimming, water polo, diving, high diving and open water swimming—at the main event, with around 6,000 expected to take part in the senior meet.

Organising committee co-chairman Mark Chay said: "When it comes to sustainability, it's something which is rather new to mega events like the world championships, and I think it's something that we'll need to continue on, but for the World Aquatics Championships, we view it as this is the start.