By SwimSwam Partner Content on SwimSwam
Courtesy of Hamilton Aquatics, a SwimSwam partner.
The countdown is officially on. With fewer than 100 days remaining until the 2026 Dubai Open Swimming Championships, anticipation is rising across the global swimming community. From 6 to 8 February 2026, the Hamdan Sports Complex will host one of the most competitive and internationally diverse meets on the calendar, offering three days of exceptional racing, high-performance environments and opportunities for swimmers of all levels to test themselves early in the long course season.
The Dubai Open has built a reputation as a championship that blends world-class standards with development pathways, and the 2026 edition is now shaping up to be one of its strongest yet. Following the early confirmation of Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers, Hamilton Aquatics has now announced three more headline names who will be competing in Dubai. The latest additions underline the championship’s growing global profile and further raise the level of competition expected in February.
Olympic Pedigree Takes Centre Stage
Leading the newly announced athletes is James Guy of Great Britain, a three-time Olympic gold medallist and multiple World Champion. Known for his technical excellence and trademark finishing speed, Guy has contributed significantly to Great Britain’s rise in relay events and remains one of the most respected freestylers on the international stage. His presence brings added weight to the 100m and 200m freestyle events of the Dubai Open.
Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, a two time Olympic silver medallist, also joins the 2026 line up. Haughey continues to be one of the most distinctive freestylers in world swimming, consistently delivering world-leading times across the sprint and middle-distance events. Her participation reinforces the championship’s position as a global meeting point for elite performance.
Rounding out the trio is Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands, one of the most consistent and technically disciplined breaststrokers in the sport. A double Olympic silver medallist, Kamminga has delivered some of the most precise performances in recent years in both the 100m and 200m breaststroke. His inclusion ensures that breaststroke fans will have world-class races to look forward to across the meet.
Arno Kamminga (photo: Jack Spitser)
Together with Kyle Chalmers, these four Olympic athletes signal the Dubai Open’s continued growth as one of the region’s most prestigious and internationally relevant events. Their presence will not only elevate the standard of racing but will also inspire the hundreds of age group swimmers who will compete alongside them in the same programme.
A Championship with Global Momentum
Since its debut in 2011, the Dubai Open Swimming Championships have grown into a major fixture that regularly attracts more than 1,300 swimmers from over 30 nations. The 2025 edition welcomed a host of Olympic swimmers and world champions, strengthening the event’s reputation and setting the stage for even greater participation in 2026.
In recent years, the meet has seen participation from elite swimmers such as Duncan Scott, Noe Ponti, Mary-Sophie Harvey, and Lara van Niekerk, names that have elevated both the competitive standard and the event’s international visibility.
A key element of the meet’s appeal lies in its structure. Unlike many traditional competitions, the Dubai Open incorporates A finals, B finals and dedicated Youth Finals, ensuring that young competitors have meaningful opportunities to race at championship level while still witnessing elite swimmers competing at the top end of the sport. For developing swimmers, racing on the same programme as Olympic athletes creates an invaluable learning environment that combines experience, ambition and international exposure.
A Venue Built for Performance
All racing will take place at the Hamdan Sports Complex in Dubai, one of the world’s most advanced aquatic facilities. The venue features a 50m, 10 lane Olympic standard pool, world-class timing systems and spectator capacity for more than 15,000 people. Over the years, it has hosted major international competitions and training camps, making it a preferred destination for global federations and elite training groups.
Beyond the competition pool, the venue offers exceptional warm-up and swim-down facilities. The complex is supported by Dubai’s world-renowned hospitality, modern infrastructure and convenient travel access, ensuring a seamless experience for visiting clubs and athletes.
Beyond the Lanes: Camps, Clinics and Conferences
The Dubai Open is more than a standalone meet. Around the championships, Hamilton Aquatics delivers a comprehensive programme that includes:
• Bespoke training camp packages for visiting clubs • Athlete clinics led by guest Olympians • Coaching conference that draw speakers from around the world
These initiatives form part of a long term vision to elevate swimming in the region by connecting education, performance and global best practice. Coaches, athletes and clubs view the Dubai Open not only as a competition but as an opportunity to engage with a wider performance ecosystem.
Entry Information and Key Deadlines
Entry quotas and deadlines have been introduced to ensure a high quality racing experience and effective management of the meet schedule. Guaranteed quotas are available for UAE clubs, GCC clubs and international teams, provided entries are submitted before the relevant deadlines.
Guaranteed Entry Quotas for 2026: • GCC clubs: 400 places • Global clubs: 200 places
Entries received before November 30, 2025, and within quota will be confirmed immediately. Entries submitted after these deadlines, or beyond the quota limits, will be placed on a waiting list and notified of their status by January 9, 2026.
The final entry deadline for all swimmers is January 9, 2026 at 12:00 noon GST. All entries must adhere to the qualifying times published in the official entry pack, which can be achieved in either long course or converted short course competition.
The meet also offers a USD 25,000 prize pool across multiple categories, including Top Swimmer Male, Top Swimmer Female and the King and Queen of Sprints titles, adding further competitive incentive for senior athletes.
Join a Championship That Inspires the Future
The Dubai Open Swimming Championships stand at the intersection of global performance, youth development and international collaboration. With Olympic athletes confirmed, world-class facilities and a growing community of participating clubs, the 2026 edition promises to deliver an event that inspires, challenges and elevates swimmers at every level.
Full Entry Pack
Register now: [email protected]
Follow updates on Instagram: @dubaichampionships
See Hamilton Aquatics
Follow Hamilton Aquatics on Instagram: @hamiltonaquatics
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