BIRCHER MISSES OUT IN SCRAP FOR ON 10KM MEDALS
Britain's Alan Bircher had to watch as the closest 10km open
water World Championship battle in history unfolded before
him with gold and silver separated by just 0.06 of a second
off the St Kilda shore in Melbourne.
The University of Bath swimmer finished eighth in the pack
chasing for medals but it was Russian Vladimir Dyatchin who
eventually took gold by a fingernail in 1:55:32.52 from Germany's
Thomas Lurz in 1:55:32.58 with bronze going to Russian Evgeny
Drattsev in 1:55:47.31.
A disappointed Bircher, who failed to find his form all day
in the good conditions at St Kilda, finished the Olympic distance
in what was a very fast 1:55:53.91 for the event.
"I felt sluggish from the start, after 20minutes I just
knew it wasn't going to be my day. I stayed with the pack
right until the end but I knew coming around the final buoy
that my legs had gone and I wasn't able to respond,"
said Bircher.
"I feel fit at the moment so there's no reason I can
think of as to why I felt fatigued. I just think it was one
of those swims. It's disappointing because I've trained hard
for this."
Bircher, and the rest of the field of 55, suffered once again
as yesterday's women had with jellyfish and the painful problem
was a constant around the course.
For Bircher though it wasn't the jellyfish but repeated volleys
of arms and legs that caused him most problems.
"It was difficult out there, not because of the conditions,
but because it got quite scrappy. There are some big guys
and my arms got tired trying to hold people off," said
Bircher.
"It ranks up there as one of the hardest races I've
done but to be so close to the medals doesn't make it any
easier to come to terms with."
Despite missing out on a medal there were positives for Bircher
who was pleased with his tactics which he felt worked and
would have paid off if he was able to call on his strength
and speed at the end of the race.
"I normally like to go out fast but today I chose different
tactics and that was to hold back with the pack until the
final lap," said Bircher. "When the leaders left
the group I tried to follow and clung onto the battle for
bronze.
"The time when you need to call on the power and speed
came but unfortunately it wasn't there. I couldn't react as
I would have liked.
"I feel I'm getting back towards my best after two disruptive
years. The bronze was so close today just not close enough
and I'll be working to get into the medals in future."
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