Over 24,000 swimmers participate in annual Sun Moon Lake swim fest

Taipei, Sept. 28 (CNA) Over 24,000 swimmers from 35 countries took part in the 2025 Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival in Nantou County on Sunday, organizers said.

Participants in the annual event entered the water early in the morning to swim the roughly 3-kilometer distance from Chaowu Pier on the lake's northern end to Ita Thao Pier in the south.

Now in its 43rd year, the festival for the first time allowed seniors aged 75 to 79 to participate, but required such applicants to provide health documents and be accompanied by a qualified lifeguard.

Two seniors met the criteria, including former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), aged 75.

Speaking at the event, Ma said that it was his 12th time participating in the swimming carnival.

He said he joined the event every year "to stay fit, which is the most important purpose."

In total, 24,736 people registered for this year's swim, including 361 foreign nationals from 35 countries and 130 people with physical disabilities, organizers said.

Meanwhile, Nantou County Magistrate Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) encouraged the public to watch "Second Life" (突破:三千米的泳氣), a film about seven visually impaired people challenging themselves by swimming across Sun Moon Lake. The film will premiere on Friday.

The Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival was recognized by the Olympic Committee as the largest swimming event in the world in 1995, and officially inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2002, according to its official website.