Ignasi Vendrell Gervás from Barcelona, Spain has a heavy weight on his shoulders.
But after a competitive career as a lifeguard and 8 years of sports management responsibilities with World Aquatics while also serving as an Associate Professor with Blanquerna – Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona, Vendrell is well prepared to manage the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim in the Seine (or the rowing basin) during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
He has the weather, crowd control, in-the-water operations, dryland logistics, media demands, safety, rainfall, and water quality to balance in addition to all the usual responsibilities of an open water swimming event director – with the additional pressure of the entire globe watching the 10 km marathon swim unfold on live television and on smartphone and computer screens around the world.
He recalls his recent experiences, “2023 was one of the most challenging and memorable years of my career. We revitalized the sport of open water swimming. The World Cup tour was a success despite all the obstacles along the way. Often times, people forget that Mother Nature dictates our sport and that is part of the game. It is what makes our sport unique.
Adaptability and ingenuity define us.
2023 also brought one of the most outstanding World Aquatics Championships I have taken part in. The level of professionalism and dedication from the Organizing Committee and the city of Fukuoka, Japan will always be remembered. Many memories built and relationships that will last forever.
I look back at this season thankful to the the whole Aquatics community – in particular the small (but strong) open water swimming family – for their orientation and support. Grateful to all Organizing Committees we’ve work with, for their continuous commitment to the sport. And last but not least thanks to my TEAM at World Aquatics for their passion, friendship and patience.“
Vendrell is working in collaboration with Pere Miró, the World Aquatics Sports Director, Sarah Mehammedia, the Paris 2024 Aquatics and Para Swimming Sports Manager, Florian Lucas, the Paris 2024 Open Water Swimming Technical Operations Manager, and Marvin Do Rego, the Paris 2024 Open Water Swimming Athlete Service Coordinator, on the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim.
Let the Games begin.
Male Olympic 10K Marathon Swim Finalists
- Kyle Lee, Australia
- Nick Sloman, Australia
- Felix Auboeck, Austria
- Jan Hercog, Austria
- Guilherme Costa, Brazil
- Martin Straka, Czech Republic
- David Andres Farinango Berru, Ecuador
- Carlos Garach Benito, Spain
- Logan Fontaine, France
- Marc-Antoine Olivier, France
- Hector Pardoe, Great Britain
- Tobias Patrick Robinson, Great Britain
- Oliver Klemet, Germany
- Florian Wellbrock, Germany
- Athanasios Charalampos Kynigakis, Greece
- David Betlehem, Hungary
- Kristóf Rasovszky, Hungary
- Daniel Wiffen, Ireland
- Matan Roditi, Israel
- Domenico Acerenza, Italy
- Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy
- Taishin Minamide, Japan
- Woomin Kim, South Korea
- Paulo Strehlke Delgado, Mexico
- Phillip Seidler, Namibia
- Henrik Christiansen, Norway
- Piotr Wozniak, Poland
- Victor Johansson, Sweden
- Ahmed Jaouadi, Tunisia
- Emir Batur Albayrak, Turkey
- Kuzey Tuncelli, Turkey
- David Johnston, USA
- Ivan Puskovitch, USA
Female Olympic 10K Marathon Swim Finalists
- Chelsea Gubecka, Australia
- Moesha Johnson, Australia
- Ana Marcela Cunha, Brazil
- Viviane Jungblut, Brazil
- Emma Finlin, Canada
- Xin Xin, China
- Maria de Valdes Alvarez, Spain
- Angela Martinez Guillen, Spain
- Oceane Cassignol, France
- Caroline Laure Jouisse, France
- Leah Phoebe Crisp, Great Britain
- Leonie Beck, Germany
- Leonie Martens, Germany
- Bettina Fabian, Hungary
- Giulia Gabbrielleschi, Italy
- Ginevra Taddeucci, Italy
- Airi Ebina, Japan
- Martha Sandoval Ayala, Mexico
- Lisa Pou, Monaco
- Sharon van Rouwendaal, Netherlands
- Maria Alejandra Bramont-Arias, Peru
- Angelica Andre, Portugal
- Mariah Denigan, USA
- Katie Grimes, USA
© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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