More than 600 elite para swimmers will line up at the OCBC Aquatic Centre from 21–27 September 2025.

“At Toyota, we believe movement is a human right, and sport is one of the most powerful ways to express that. Para-athletes are powerful spokespeople of resilience, ambition and progress. Our involvement is not just about sponsorship, but a demonstration of our support to their journeys, and helping to shift perceptions around ability, access, hope and possibilities.”

Preston Tan, Vice President, Toyota Motor Asia

In 2025, Singapore welcomes both the World Aquatics Championships and the World Para Swimming Championships, signalling the city-state’s emergence as a regional hub for aquatic sport. For Toyota, the partnership is a continuity of work already in motion with local stakeholders to widen access and deepen understanding.

In June, Toyota and the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) marked the 100-day countdown with a Memorandum of Understanding. The activation continues this month with the Singapore National Paralympic Council at the Paralympic Fiesta in Punggol Waterway Point (25–31 August), an engagement expected to draw over 10,000 participants while raising funds for athletes prepping for major Games.

Toyota will deploy a fleet of 18 vehicles to shuttle race officials and the local organising committee, while TMA volunteers take on poolside duties and even serve as country contingent leads during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Around the event, Toyota-led volunteer drives, community activations and employee engagement keep the momentum up during the championship.

Strip away the banners and you arrive at the core idea: movement should be accessible. Partnerships like this help break barriers, build understanding and bring people together in the most direct way sport knows how.

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At a signing ceremony held today at the Mazda showroom in Ubi, it was announced that Mazda will serve as SAQ’s Official Car Partner until 2026. Twenty-five Mazda vehicles, and a pair of MX-30s, will be dedicated to transporting athletes and officials during the 2024 Swimming World Cup.

Additionally, SAQ will benefit from the use of the two MX-30s throughout the two-year partnership. Two vehicles will be on loan to SAQ, aiding their efforts to promote aquatics across Singapore.

Mr Chong Kah Wei, Managing Director of Trans Eurokars – Mazda, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership: “We are thrilled to support the development of aquatics, a beloved sport in Singapore. Our brand philosophy of embracing challenges and striving for continuous improvement aligns perfectly with the discipline required in swimming. We hope to inspire swimmers to pursue their dreams with our support.”

This partnership is not Mazda’s first foray into supporting aquatics in Singapore; the carmaker previously sponsored a hole-in-one competition at an SAQ fundraiser and donated $25,000 at SAQ’s 85th Anniversary gala dinner.

SAQ Secretary General, Assoc. Prof Kenneth Goh, highlighted the significance of the collaboration: “Being associated with a global brand like Mazda elevates the prestige of both SAQ and the Swimming World Cup. This partnership showcases the appeal of aquatics and its positive impact on the community.”

Prof Goh also noted the timeliness of the partnership as SAQ ramps up its advocacy for water sustainability, aligning with their plans to host the World Aquatics Championships in 2025.

Driving Aquatics Forward

The Mazda vehicles used by SAQ will feature special decals with the SAQ logo. These cars enable the team to work closely with partners island-wide.

National head coach Gary Tan commented, “With Mazda on board as our Official Car Partner, our high-performance team will have greater mobility to engage clubs and partners across the island, discussing ways to uplift aquatics in Singapore.”

Singapore’s hosting of the Swimming World Cup marks the return of the event, last held in the Republic in 2019. The 2019 edition featured top swimmers like Russia’s Vladimir Morozov, Australia’s Emily Seebohm, and Singapore’s Olympic champion Joseph Schooling.

The 2024 edition promises to be just as exciting, featuring some of the sport’s biggest names, including Singapore’s own Teong Tzen Wei, Asian Games men’s 50-metre butterfly silver medallist.

The Singapore leg will be the finale of the three-part Swimming World Cup series, following events in Shanghai, China, and Incheon, South Korea.

Teong, a two-time World Cup silver medallist, expressed his excitement: “It’s fantastic to have the event back in Singapore. It’s a treat for fans and a great opportunity for local swimmers to compete against the world’s best on home soil.”

One young swimmer eager to make a splash is 20-year-old Chan Jun Hao, a breaststroke specialist who recently broke the men’s national 50m breaststroke record. Chan is looking forward to the competition, saying, “I’m really excited for the event. It will be a great chance to gauge my performance against top sprinters.”

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