Coetze, Haughey, Martens, Among Newly Announced Participants at China Swimming Open

2026 CHINA SWIMMING OPEN

• March 19th – March 22nd
• Longgang Universiade Center Natatorium
• LCM (50m)

Multiple new international swimming stars have announced their intent to race at next month’s China Swimming Open. Adding their names to the already stacked list of participants are reigning 100 backstroke world champion Pieter Coetze (South Africa), world champion freestyler Siobhan Haughey (Hong Kong), 400 free Olympic Champion Lukas Martens (Germany), 100 breast Olympic Champion Nicolo Martinenghi (Italy),  Dutch breaststroker Arno Kamminga (Netherlands), and 50 back world champion Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia) as reported by Chinese Swimming News and Results on X.

These new additions bring the total number of non-Chinese swimmers to 17, with this new wave joining the likes of Jack Alexy, Gretchen Walsh, Kate Douglass, and Lani Pallister, among others.

Non-Chinese Athletes reportedly confirmed to compete:

• Jack Alexy (USA)
• Thomas Ceccon (ITA)
• Kyle Chalmers (AUS)
• Kate Douglass (USA)
• Noe Ponti (SUI)
• Regan Smith (USA)
• Alex Walsh (USA)
• Gretchen Walsh (USA)
• Cameron McEvoy (AUS)
• Lani Pallister (AUS)
• Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS)
• Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA)
• Siobhan Haughey (HKG)
• Lukas Martens (GER)
• Arno Kamminga (NED)
• Pieter Coetze (RSA)
• Kliment Kolesnikov (NAB)

Kolesnikov and Coetze create an intriguing backstroke scene, as they will likely go toe-to-toe with Thomas Ceccon in China, giving us a rematch of the 100 back final from Singapore last summer, where Coetze got the better of the veteran Ceccon to win his first World Championship title.

Martinenghi and Kamminga bring the first taste of breaststroke to these championships, and if Qin Haiyang competes here, those breaststroke races should be one of the marquee events of the championships, as they would feature three of the five fastest 100 breaststrokers in history.

Martens is one of the lone mid-distance freestylers announced, and his presence as the reigning Olympic and World Championship gold medalist in the 400 free should add some intrigue to his races, especially if we get the chance to see Pan Zhanle race the 400 free.

Haughey is in a prime position to battle with the likes of Douglass (and potentially Gretchen Walsh) in the 100 free, while also sitting in event fields that will put her up against the likes of Pallister, and/or Mollie O’Callaghan in the 100, 200, and 400 frees.

In a post on X by Chinese Swimming News and Results, the decision to invite these 17 Olympic and World Championship medalists supports a national policy called the “633 Developmental Strategy”. Targeting important events leading up to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.