HẢI PHÒNG — Nearly 300 athletes from 16 clubs nationwide are competing at the 2026 National Club Swimming and Finswimming Championships, which opened in Hải Phòng on Monday.

The five-day tournament was organised by the Việt Nam Aquatics Sports Association in coordination with the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The athletes are competing in four age groups: under 11, 12-13, 14-15 and 16-18.

The swimming programme features men’s and women’s events in freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and individual medley. Finswimming competitions include 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m events using monofins.

The tournament provides an opportunity for clubs, localities and sports units from across the country to assess their athletes after training, while identifying promising competitors for the national team.

It is also part of preparations for international competitions, organisers said.

This is the third time Hải Phòng has hosted the national club championships.

Hosting the event gives local athletes more opportunities to compete and exchange experience with competitors from other clubs, while helping raise the standard of swimming and finswimming in the city. — VNS