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- Mia Sim, a Utah-based mermaid athlete, plans a mermaid competition to be held in southern Utah.
- The Mermaid Swim Trials will occur in St. George in spring 2026, and will be open to various skill levels.
- Sim aims to make mermaid competitions more accessible for U.S. participants.
PROVO — A Provo woman who has competed internationally as a mermaid and scored high honors while doing it is leading the charge on an opportunity for seasoned and aspiring swimmers to be recognized for their talents closer to home.
In 2024, Mia Sim became the fastest "mermaid" in the world after impressing the judges at the Swiss Merlympics in Geneva, Switzerland.
She returned to the annual competition earlier this year in Wolfsburg, Germany, with a team of other U.S. swimmers and took home a gold medal.
The self-proclaimed "Provo Mermaid" has opted to take a break from competing — but she wants to help find a way to bring a form of the contest to her home state. She is planning for the Mermaid Swim Trials to be held in southern Utah in the spring.
Sim is the event coordinator and competition director. And she doesn't want anyone, even mermaid newcomers, to be intimidated by the name of the event.
"It's mostly swim-based, instead of performance-based," she said. "I think it's really cool to have a performance element, especially as a mermaid. We're graceful, we're beautiful under the water, but I really want the raw initial strength and power that comes behind swimming in this style, because it's really cool to watch."
The competition has four swim race styles and an artistic dance style, and will be judged and graded by Sim's former 2025 Merlympic teammates. The Utah event is not affiliated with the annual Merylmpics.
Sim has a background in costuming and acting and said she's always loved mermaids, the fantasy, artwork and the folklore behind it.
Growing up, she was a cheerleader and a gymnast, and originally had hopes for her athletic future — but it was derailed for a time due to numerous foot surgeries. Sim said she turned to swimming as it's a low-impact sport.
Mixing her love for performing and swimming, she took her athleticism and mermaid expertise across seas twice for the Merylmpics. Performing as a mermaid on an international stage has been nothing short of a dream come true, Sim said her voyage to different countries has been no easy feat, mentally and financially.
Sim said she wishes there had been a competition similar to the Merylmpics closer to home.
"It would have been much easier on me financially, and I feel like my training quality would have improved because I wasn't worried about trying to make money just to show up to the competition," she told KSL.com.
Then there is the anxiety of making the voyage to different countries alone.
"Travel is intimidating, especially if you're by yourself," Sim said.
As someone who knows the pressures of competing at a high level and obtaining enough money for travel and related expenses, she hopes aquatic athletes from around Utah and nearby states feel encouraged to take part in the Mermaid Trials 2026.
Sim said each swim category will be performed in a full mermaid monofin and tail, but it is open to both seasoned swimmers and those who aspire to be professional swimmers.
"This competition is for mermaids of all skill levels. You don't need to be advanced certified or anything crazy," she said. "You do have to pass safety inspection and gear inspection — and if you have a certification, great; but I want you to show up and just try it."
While St. George may not be the first place people think of for a mermaid competition, Sim hopes it can serve as a more accessible location for mermaids to compete.
"My goal with this is to make it a more centralized competition in the U.S.," she said. "I loved traveling all around the world, but I know 80% of my friends do not have the time, the finances or the job that would let them — allow them to live out their dreams and competing — and it's really hard coordinating worldwide."
Registration is now open for the upcoming competition, though Sim said exact dates are expected to be announced in late December.
More information about the mermaid swim competition can be found on the event's website, at mermaidtrialsusa.com.
