KL Names 24-Strong Swim Squad for SUKMA XXII — Ten Newcomers on the List

KL Names 24-Strong Swim Squad for SUKMA XXII — Ten Newcomers on the List

Akuatik Kuala Lumpur has released its short list for SUKMA XXII 2026, and there's a lot of young blood in it.

Approved on 9 May by the Swimming Committee of Akuatik Kuala Lumpur in consultation with Majlis Sukan Wilayah Persekutuan (MSWP) and the SUKMA coaches, the list names 24 swimmers — 12 female, 12 male — who will represent the Federal Territory at Pusat Akuatik Darul Ehsan, Shah Alam, from 19 to 23 August 2026.

Selection was based on personal best times from three qualifying meets: the AKL Age Group Swimming Championships 2026, the Malaysia Invitational Age Group Swimming Championships 2026, and the Malaysia Open Swimming Championships 2026. Priority went to the fastest individual event times with medal prospects, with relay considerations also factored in.

A fresh wave

Seven of the 24 names are making their SUKMA debut. On the men's side, E-An Lee (16, GIS), Damian Seth Lim (16, IBSC), Nishan Manuel (16, IBSC), Nathanial Shu (15, IBSC), and Johan Arif (17, IBSC) all earn their first call-ups. On the women's side, Chiew Qin Lynn (16, GIS) and Kimberly Bee (13, VSC) join the squad for the first time.

That last name deserves a second look. Kimberly Bee is 13 years old. She will walk into a national multi-sport games before most of her peers have sat a major exam. That's not a footnote — that's the headline buried at the bottom of the list.

The experienced core

The squad isn't all youth. Charlotte Loke (21, DSA) is the oldest athlete on the women's side, joined by Lee Wei Wen (20, IBSC), Chong Xin Lin - NTC (19, IBSC), and Natalie Suyin Buckley (19, IBSC) as the senior anchor. On the men's side, Teo Zun Jet (20, IBSC), Cham Yu Xiang- NTC (20, DSA), and Muhammad Arif Bin Zulfikry (20, IBSC) bring the experience, with Muhammad Dhuha Bin Zulfikry - SEA Games Athlete (18, IBSC) and Lee Boon Wei David (19, IBSC) bridging the gap to the newcomers.

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A word on GIS

Two names on this list — E-An Lee and Chiew Qin Lynn — come out of Garden International School, and I'd be remiss not to mention it. I went to GIS, graduated in 2007, and the swim programme back then wasn't what it is today. Seeing GIS athletes making a national multi-sport games short list is genuinely something. Of course, it helps that some of the strongest swimmers in KL go to that school and Chu Lai Kwan is one of the coaches there.

What to watch

SUKMA XXII sits at the end of a packed 2026 domestic calendar. By August, these swimmers will have had months of racing under their belts — how the younger names translate their qualifying times into a multi-sport games environment is the real question. For the ten making their SUKMA debut, this is the first test at this level. For Kimberly Bee, it's something else entirely.

KL Aquatics — SUKMA XXII 2026 Short List

Women

1. Chong Xin Lin — IBSC, 19
2. Lee Wei Wen — IBSC, 20
3. Isabelle Chiyi Buckley — IBSC, 17
4. Natalie Suyin Buckley — IBSC, 19
5. Olivia Seow Cui Ying — DSA, 15
6. Charlotte Loke — DSA, 21
7. Annis Hiew Xin Ting — DSA, 17
8. Elizabeth Chan Yiwen — IBSC, 17
9. Megan Ho Wei Yan — DSA, 15
10. Chiew Qin Lynn — GIS, 16 *
11. Melissa Naily Bt. Darwin — DSA, 17
12. Kimberly Bee — VSC, 13 *

Men

1. Muhammad Dhuha Bin Zulfikry — IBSC, 18
2. Teo Zun Jet — IBSC, 20
3. Cham Yu Xiang — DSA, 20
4. Lee Boon Wei David — IBSC, 19
5. E-An Lee — GIS, 16 *
6. Damian Seth Lim — IBSC, 16 *
7. Yap Zhen Kok — IBSC, 16
8. Nishan Manuel — IBSC, 16 *
9. Nathaniel Shu Jia Jun — IBSC, 15 *
10. Johan Arif Mohd Sallehhuddin — IBSC, 17 *
11. Vitus So Teng Hoe — DSA, 17
12. Muhammad Arif Bin Zulfikry — IBSC, 20

*SUKMA newcomer

SUKMA XXII Swimming — Pusat Akuatik Darul Ehsan, Shah Alam · 19–23 August 2026

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