The 10km races of these Championships took place over the last two days with the women’s event staged on May 3 The results of these competitions revealed some of the first Olympic swimmers in this discipline, with 10km marathon swimming on the programme for the 2008 Beijing Games in August. This is the first time this event will be contested at an Olympic level. The rest of the 25 Beijing-bound women will be decided at the ‘Good Luck Beijing’ marathon swimming test event, to be held May 31-June 1 at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park, Beijing.
In the women’s race, Russia’s Larisa Ilchenko (2:02:02.7) won after trailing behind Cassandra Patten (GBR) (2:02:05.8) for the entire 10km. With her victory, Ilchenko succeeded in defending her 10km title from the 4th FINA Open Water Swimming Championships in 2006. Bronze went to Yurema Requena (ESP) in a time of 2:02.07.2.
Rounding out the top ten (those who will go to Beijing) are: Natalie Du Toit (RSA) 4th with a time of 2:02:07.8, Jana Pechanova (CZE) 5th in 2:02:12.6, Poliana Okimoto (BRA) 6th with 2:02:13.5, Angela Maurer (GER), 7th in 2:02.13.6, Keri-Anne Payne (GBR) 8th in 2:02:14.1, Aurelie Muller (FRA) 9th in 2:02:14.1, and in 10th was Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA) in 2:02:16.3. Also securing Beijing berths through continental qualification was Edith Van Dijk (NED) 11th in a time of 2:02:18.6, Yanquiao Fang (CHN), 12fth in 2:02:23.3, Andreina Pinto (VEN) 17th at 2:02:39.8, and Melissa Gorman (AUS), 25th in 2:03:18.4.
2008-05-05
