Oman’s Abdulmonem to officiate at Asian Open Water swimming in Bali

MUSCAT, JUNE 3
Oman’s international swimming referee, Abdulmonem bin Khamis al Alawi was appointed as the head referee for the Men’s 5 km race event at the 12th Asian Open Water Swimming Championships, which will take place in Bali, Indonesia, from June 13 to 15.
The appointment marks another significant milestone in Al Alawi’s distinguished officiating career and reflects the growing confidence of the Asian aquatic community in Omani sports officials. Al Alawi currently serves as the vice-chairman of the Open Water Swimming Technical Committee of the Asia Aquatics and remains one of the most experienced open water swimming referees in the continent.
The Asian Open Water Swimming Championships will bring together many of Asia’s highest-ranked swimmers, who will compete in the scenic waters of Bali in one of the continent’s premier aquatic events. The three-day championship is expected to showcase elite-level competition, endurance, and technical excellence as athletes strive for continental honours while representing the future of Asian aquatic sports.
Speaking to Oman Observer about his participation, Al Alawi expressed his pride at being entrusted with such an important role in the championship. “This championship is considered one of the leading open water swimming events in Asia. I am honoured to officiate in this prestigious competition and recently I was involved in officiating duties at major Asian events, including Asian Beach Games competitions which was held in Sanya, China. I am pleased to continue contributing to the development and success of aquatic sports in the region,” he said.
Al Alawi explained that the Asia Aquatics, in coordination with the championship organising committee, already distributed the official competition program to all participating national federations. “The technical meeting will be held on June 12 at the Fox Hotel in Bali, followed by a referees’ meeting during which responsibilities will be assigned and officials will be briefed on the latest competition regulations and operational updates,” he added.
The championship will commence on June 13 with the 5 km races. In the following day, the swimmers will compete in the mixed 4x1500m relay event. The competition will conclude on June 15 with the demanding 10 km races for both categories men’s and women’s races.
75 SWIMMERS
A total of 16 Asian national federations confirmed their participation in the championship, with approximately 75 swimmers set to compete at Moya Beach, one of Bali’s renowned coastal venues. The event is expected to feature some of the strongest open water swimmers from across the continent.
Al Alawi’s latest international appointment continues a remarkable officiating journey that spans nearly four decades. Hailing from Sur, he began his involvement in swimming in 1986 before becoming the first Omani referee to obtain an international swimming officiating license in 1995. Since then, he has played a pioneering role in elevating Oman’s presence in international aquatic sports.
His extensive resume includes participation in numerous world, Asian and Olympic events. Al Alawi had officiated at his third consecutive Olympic Games when he was appointed Chief Referee for the Men’s and Women’s 10 km Marathon Swimming events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, following previous appointments at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Last year, he had also represented Oman at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, further strengthening his reputation as one of Asia’s leading open water swimming officials.