On 24 May 2025, the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) kicked off a celebration with more heart than medals.
At the event, Toyota Motor Asia is stepping in as the official title sponsor for the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore. Toyota’s involvement represents a long-standing commitment to inclusivity through sport, from championing Para athletes globally to partnering with SDSC for previous editions of the Para Swimming World Series.
“Para athletes inspire us with their extraordinary resilience, talent, and determination, and that drives our continued support for inclusive sports,” shared Preston Tan, Vice President of Toyota Motor Asia. With over 200 able-bodied and para-athletes supported worldwide, Toyota’s vision of “Mobility for All” is a steady paddle forward.
Craig Nicholson, Head of World Para Swimming, echoed that sentiment, calling Toyota’s support “a powerful platform to promote inclusion and empower persons with disabilities at local, regional and global levels.”
For the SG60 SwimTogether Singapore campaign, 60 swimmers of all ages and abilities clocked 100 laps together. Paralympians, Olympians, seniors, children with spinal conditions, national team athletes, and everyday Singaporeans.
Kicking off the lap swim was none other than Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Mr David Neo. And among the 60-strong squad was 11-year-old Muhammad Hariz Bin Sanusi, who has spina bifida. Supported by SDSC’s transport and coaching aid, Hariz completed a lap, floating, kicking, and beaming. “It feels fun and exciting, like you’re in space,” he said, summarising it with the kind of wide-eyed wonder only a child can.
Then there was public sector lawyer Loh Jia Wei, who last dipped into a pool at age four. Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, she avoided swimming for decades. Now, thanks to a heated pool, dedicated coach, and physiotherapist, she’s back in the water. “It felt very surreal and liberating to be moving about using my limbs.”
SG60 SwimTogether Singapore is a legacy campaign designed to encourage Singaporeans of all abilities to swim, connect, and uplift each other. Running until 31 August 2025, it invites the public to log their laps at participating pools across the island through centralised activations and remote submissions.
Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, President of SDSC and Co-Chair of the Championships’ Steering Committee, captured it best: “As we celebrate Singapore’s 60th birthday and the World Para Swimming Championships, I invite all Singaporeans and companies to join us. Together, we can be a powerful movement towards inclusivity.”
As the countdown clock ticks toward 21 September 2025, when the Championships officially begin at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, the excitement is already bubbling at the surface. It’ll be the first time Asia hosts this prestigious event, a monumental milestone for both Singapore and the global Para swimming community.
As Paralympian Theresa Goh puts it, “It shows how much further we can go, and I’m grateful to still be part of this sport, giving back in whatever way I can.”
To join the campaign, visit http://bit.ly/swimtgtsdsc.
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