India made sporting history by hosting the 11th Asian Aquatics Championships for the first time from September 28 to October 11, 2025, at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The event marked a significant milestone, being only the second time South Asia has hosted this prestigious aquatics meet. With over 1,100 athletes from 29 countries, the championships brought global attention to India’s aquatic potential and organizational capabilities.
Event Highlights
Organisation and Participation
The event was jointly organised by the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) and the Government of Gujarat. It featured 65 medal events across four disciplines,
- Swimming (42 events)
- Artistic Swimming (11 events)
- Diving (10 events)
- Water Polo (2 events)
More than 1,100 participants, including athletes, coaches, and officials, competed over two weeks. The event also served as a qualifier for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.
Medal Tally: China Leads, India Breaks Ground
- China topped the medal tally with 54 medals (40 gold, 10 silver, 4 bronze), showing dominance across all disciplines. Kazakhstan and Japan followed in second and third place, respectively.
- India finished 11th, achieving its best-ever performance at the event, winning a total of 13 medals — 4 silver and 9 bronze.
Medal Tally: China Leads, India Breaks Ground
- China – 40 Gold, 10 Silver, 4 Bronze | Total: 54 (1st)
- Kazakhstan – 8 Gold, 7 Silver, 8 Bronze | Total: 23 (2nd)
- Japan – 5 Gold, 12 Silver, 4 Bronze | Total: 21 (3rd)
- Hong Kong, China – 3 Gold, 4 Silver, 7 Bronze | Total: 14 (4th)
- Vietnam – 2 Gold, 7 Silver, 6 Bronze | Total: 15 (5th)
- India – 0 Gold, 4 Silver, 9 Bronze | Total: 13 (13th)
India’s Best-Ever Performance
Star Performers
- Srihari Nataraj emerged as the standout athlete, securing 7 medals—the highest for any Indian in a single edition.
- Bhavya Sachdeva made history by winning India’s first women’s medal (Bronze in 400m Freestyle).
- Kushagra Rawat won bronze in the men’s 1500m Freestyle.
- Benediction R. Beniston took home silver in the 50m butterfly.
National Records
- India’s men’s team—Aneesh Gowda, Sajan Prakash, Shoan Ganguly, and Srihari Nataraj—set a National Record in the 4×200m Freestyle Relay, clocking 7:23.38 and securing a silver.
- In Diving, India’s Willson Singh Ningthoujam and Indiver Sairem finished fourth in the Synchronized 10m Platform (Mixed) with a score of 300.66, showing a promising future in this discipline.
Indian Medal Winners Snapshot
- Srihari Nataraj: 200m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke Silver
- 100m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke, 4×100m Medley, 4×100m Freestyle Bronze
- Benediction R. Beniston: 50m Butterfly Silver
- Kushagra Rawat: 1500m Freestyle Bronze
- Rishabh Das: 200m Backstroke Bronze
- Bhavya Sachdeva: 400m Freestyle (Women) Bronze
- Sajan Prakash: 200m Butterfly Bronze
Static Facts
- Host Country: India (1st time)
- Venue: Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Ahmedabad
- Duration: September 28 – October 11, 2025
- Organisers: SFI & Govt. of Gujarat
- Participants: 1,100+ athletes from 29 countries
- Disciplines: Swimming, Artistic Swimming, Diving, Water Polo
- Total Events: 65
- India’s Rank: 11th (13 medals – 4 Silver, 9 Bronze)
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