624 Swimmers Compete for World Team Spots in Open Water Championship

Puerto Morelos in Quintana Roo, Mexico, is playing host to the National Open Water Championship. The event has attracted 624 swimmers from 29 states, all competing for a place on three national teams. The teams will represent Mexico in the World Aquatics in Singapore, the Pan American Aquatics in Medellín, and the CONADE 2025 National Olympiad.

The championship, which includes 340 male and 284 female competitors, is a significant event in the sporting calendar. Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa, who inaugurated the competition from the newly restored pier, emphasized the social and sporting importance of such events. She noted that the government of Quintana Roo is committed to promoting sporting activities for talent development and boosting the local economy through tourism and commercial activity.

"Sport contributes to shared prosperity. It creates jobs, increases hotel occupancy, strengthens trade, and benefits service providers such as boatmen and nautical operators," Lezama stated at the opening ceremony.

The pier, from which the competitors embarked, was recently renovated with a public investment of 6.7 million pesos. It's part of the infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing the municipality's tourism and sporting appeal. Present at the event were the mayor of Puerto Morelos, Blanca Merari Tziu, the president of the Quintana Roo Sports Commission, Jacobo Arzate Hop, and local deputy Eric Arcila.

Local fishermen were involved in the event's safety protocol, transporting competition judges and ensuring the competition adhered to the Olympic Committee's rules.

In addition to the championship, Lezama invited attendees to participate in a national mega boxing class, involving athletes and fans from all the state's municipalities. The event further establishes Puerto Morelos as a significant national sports venue, promoting sports tourism, community engagement, and the discovery of new talent in open water swimming.