EGYPTIAN ZANATY TAKES FINA TITLE IN LONDON
Egyptian Mohamad Zanaty was the victor of a thrilling race
as the world's best open water swimmers competed over 10 kilometres
in London.
In testing conditions, the majority of swimmers grouped for
the full 10k and leaders changed frequently. World Champion
Thomas Lurz of Germany was in the running, but ran out of
the essential gas at the end as a reduced pack of five swimmers
sprinted the final 200m to the line.
Zanaty was thrilled to edge ahead and take gold in 1:57.35.7
minutes. Bulgaria's Petar Stoychev and Gilles Rondy of France
were shoulder to shoulder in the final length, but Stoychev
got the better, touching home for silver in 1:57.36.2 minutes.
Rondy was a hand's length behind with a time of 1:57.36.5
minutes.
Britain's Alan Bircher was unable to repeat yesterday's performance
and finished seventh after a sprint finish against British
team mate David Proud.
Today's event is the culmination of an 8-day racing programme
for the two Brits, who have swum 30k in competition since
last Sunday. A combination of fatigue and the gusty weather
conditions at the Docks resulted in both men falling off the
pace in the final lap.
Bircher was disappointed with his performance,
"I was gutted to be honest," he said. "I tried
to take it on again today in the first lap, which was fine,
and I was pretty confident at the 5k stage.
"I was still kicking out at the end of the third lap.
I felt ok and I thought I had enough in the tank, but as I
turned the corner on the final round I fell apart and I knew
the race was over for me. I don't like losing, so I'm really
disappointed.
"I think the competitions of the last week have taken
their toll. As I turned for the last kilometre I decided to
hold on for the others as it's easier to swim with the group.
When I saw David was on my shoulder I picked up the face for
the sprint finish."
In the women's event, British swimmers Jo-ann McGarvey and
Susan Black both withdrew in the first half of the race after
a packed weekend of competition took its toll. 16-year-old
McGarvey has swum in four of this weekend's five competitions
in London.
Czech swimmers Yvetta Hlavacova and Jana Pechanova led the
pack out, but at the mid-way point world 25k silver medallist
Edith Dyk made a break.
The Dutch athlete, who is arguably the most experienced open
water swimmer at the meet, took the lead to build an advantage
which she held for the remaining 5k. Spaniard Esther Nunez
Morera created a healthy gap in second place and hung on to
take silver in 2:08.59.7 minutes in her second 10k meet of
the weekend.
Both Czechs peaked too early and dropped back in the field
on the final circuit. Bulgaria's Ivanra Moralieva finished
in bronze position in 2:09.40.1 minutes.
The Festival of Open Water Swimming takes
place from 11-12 June at the Royal Albert Docks in London.
The LEN Open Water Swimming Cup took place at 10.30am on Saturday
11 June and the FINA 10k Marathon takes place at 2.30pm on
Sunday 11 July.
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