The 6th Asian Open Water Swimming Championships began this week and continues through June 22nd in Kapchagay City in Kazakhstan.

Athletes from Hong Kong, Iran, Kazkahstan, Kyrgyztan, Oman, Syria, and Uzbekistan will take part in the 5 km and 10 km marathon swimming events. The previous Asian Open Water Swimming Championships were held in Oman (2010), Hong Kong (2009 and 2012). Kazakstan’s Yuriy Kudinov and China’s Cao Shi Yue are the defending champions in 5 km.

Kudinov previously represented Russia at several world championships where he won the world championship 25 km race in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2007. He was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in addition to narrowly missing the world record across the English Channel when he was beaten by Petar Stoychev who was swimming on the same day in 2007. He completed his crossing in 7 hours 5 minutes for the third fastest crossing of all time.

For more information on the Asian Open Water Swimming Championships, visit here.

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