Dr. Mohamed Marouf (55, Egypt, MSF bio here) reports from Egypt.

fter an absence of 28 years, open water swimming made its return to Ismailia, Egypt with the revival of the Ismailia International Aqua Marathon held from October 1st and 3rd and organized by the Suez Canal General Club.

Supported by the Suez Canal Authority, the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Egyptian Swimming Federation, the event marked the return of one of Egypt’s historic open water swimming traditions.

More than 300 swimmers across a wide range of age groups participated. From young swimmers to veteran competitors approaching 80 years of age competed in 500m, 1 km 3 km and 4 km races.

The event was held in excellent conditions with a water temperature of 26°C and an air temperature of 28°C, creating an ideal setting for the long-awaited return of the event.

A key figure behind the revival was Hisham El Bone, chairman of the Suez Canal Club whose leadership and extensive efforts played an important role in turning the vision of bringing the event back after nearly three decades into reality.

More than simply a competition, the return of the Suez Canal International Aqua Marathon represents an important step toward reconnecting Egypt with its rich history in open water and marathon swimming.

Following the successful 2026 revival the ambition is now to build on this foundation and develop future editions into a major international open water swimming event welcoming athletes from around the world and restoring the marathon’s international profile.

© 2026 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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