World Series 2026: Fuji-Shizuoka closes a landmark May as Yamaguchi leads home charge

The Para Swimming World Series Fuji-Shizuoka 2026 brings the curtain down on the busiest month of the season. Following stops in France and Berlin, the circuit travels to Japan for its sixth leg, taking place from 29 to 31 May at the Shizuoka Prefectural Pool, a venue that offers a backdrop unlike any other on the calendar, with views overlooking Suruga Bay, Mount Fuji and the historic Sunpu Castle.

Building on the success of last year's debut edition, Fuji-Shizuoka 2026 welcomes 264 athletes from 29 nations, with competitors arriving from every continent. 

The meet also carries added significance as an important preparatory competition for athletes on the pathway to two major regional championships: the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games and the World Para Swimming European Championships in Kocaeli, Turkey, in September. This will also be the biggest Para Swimming event in Japan this year in the lead up to the Asian Para Games. 

All the action will be live streamed here.

✈️ 🇯🇵 Japan, here we go AGAIN!

After two stops in consecutive weeks, the Para Swimming World Series 2026 heads to Asia as Fuji-Shizuoka welcomes the competition for the second time.

Who are we going to meet there? 👀#ParaSwimming #WorldSeries2026 #FujiShizuoka2026 pic.twitter.com/xtKFQLSJwY

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) May 19, 2026

Home heroes

Japan's 84-strong delegation is by far the largest at the competition and will be anchored by Naohide Yamaguchi (S14/SB14/SM14), the country's standout name in the sport. 

Yamaguchi arrives in Fuji-Shizuoka following a remarkable 2025 season: At the Toyota World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, he claimed gold in the men's 100m breaststroke SB14, Japan's only title at the competition, one month after breaking the event’s world record, a mark he still holds.

As one the most closely watched athletes of the entire World Series season, Yamaguchi presence at the Shizuoka Prefectural Pool, in front of a home crowd, headlines the competition.

Beyond Yamaguchi, Japan brings a wealth of experience and pedigree to the home meet. Keiichi Kimura (S11), a three-time Paralympic champion, will compete in the men's 100m butterfly, while Takayuki Suzuki (S4/SB3), also a three-time Paralympic champion, returns to competition at the age of 39. 

Suzuki will race in the men's 50m and 100m freestyle and 50m breaststroke, underlining the longevity and commitment that have defined his career.

Aira Kinoshita (S14/SB14/SM14), a Paralympic medallist who claimed bronze in the women's 200m individual medley at Paris 2024, will compete in the same event in Fuji-Shizuoka, alongside the women's 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly and 100m breaststroke.

🇨🇴 Paralympic champion Nelson Crispin is another star who will shine at the Para Swimming World Series Fuji-Shizuoka this week.

Stay tuned and don’t miss the action!#ParaSwimming #WorldSeries2026 #FujiShizuoka2026 pic.twitter.com/n14Rw2gUhp

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) May 25, 2026

A global field

Among the most anticipated international contingents is Colombia, whose celebrated "Trío de Oro" makes the journey to Japan. 

Paralympic champions Nelson Crispin Corzo (S6/SB6) and Carlos Serrano (S7/SB7) will compete in the men's 50m butterfly, 50m freestyle and 100m breaststroke while Sara Vargas (S7) lines up in four events, the women's 50m and 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke.

The Republic of Korea arrive as the second-largest delegation with 22 athletes, followed by Thailand with 17. 

The international spread of the entry list reflects the growing global reach of the World Series format, with athletes representing every continent. 

Canada, Colombia and Mexico fly the flag for the Americas; Spain, Greece, Hungary and Poland represent Europe; Ghana bring African representation to Fuji-Shizuoka; and New Zealand complete the continental picture from Oceania.

Among the Oceanian contingent, Cameron Leslie (S4) stand out. The three-time Paralympic champion from New Zealand will compete in the men's 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke, adding another distinguished name to an already competitive field.

Closing May in style

Fuji-Shizuoka 2026 closes what has been the most intense month of the Para Swimming World Series calendar. 

Three meets in May alone – France, Berlin and now Japan — have tested athletes across back-to-back weeks and produced some of the season's most compelling performances. 

With the sixth stop now complete, the circuit pauses through June and July before resuming in Guadalajara in August. The season then concludes in November with two final meets in Lima and Abu Dhabi, bookending a calendar that has taken Para swimming to six countries across four continents.