Thinley Namgay

Bhutanese swimmers Sangay Tenzin and Kinley Lhendup have been making waves at the ongoing World Aquatic Championship 2023 in Fukuoka.

Showcasing improved performances in their respective classifications, they are setting their sights on the highly competitive Asian Games scheduled in September in China.

The five-day championship, which commenced on July 23, has drawn participants from over 190 countries, providing an international platform for athletes to prove their mettle.

Sangay Tenzin

Sangay Tenzin, competing in the 200-metre (m)  freestyle, completed the race in just 2 minutes (mins) and  6 seconds (secs). In the 100-metre freestyle, he outperformed his previous records with a time of 55.9 secs, surpassing his benchmark of 57.4 secs achieved during the 2022 swimming championship in Budapest, Hungary.

Sangay Tenzin expressed satisfaction with his performance and acknowledged the hard work and dedication invested in his training.

Kinley Lhendup, on the other hand, achieved a significant milestone by finishing the 200m medley in an impressive 2mins and 28 secs.  This time shaved off six seconds from his performance at the 2020 Malaysia Open Championship held in March this year.

Both Sangay and Kinley faced fierce competition from athletes representing more than 80 countries in their respective categories.

The World Aquatic Championship has been a crucial stepping stone for these Bhutanese swimmers, providing valuable experience and exposure as they gear up for the highly anticipated Asian Games.