It was a fitting end to the last day of the 2026 World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships with all kinds of twists and turns throughout the 4-person mixed relay.

Two girls and two boys, each swimming a 1500m loop, consisted of the 6 km mixed relay. While many, but not all, of the teams putting their fastest swimmers in the third and fourth legs, there were all kinds of lead changes throughout the race.

Russia with Anastasiia Siniakova (silver medalist in the 5 km), Kira Guseva (gold medalist in the 5 km), Aleksandr Filipets (7th in the 7.5 km), and Alan Nosov (gold medalist in the 5 km) were in command throughout the relay, finishing 25 seconds ahead of the USA with Alex Siegel (bronze medalist in the 3 km Knockout), Ansley Bess (6th in 5 km), Joseph Eaddy (19th in 7.5 km), and Sawyer Hansen (silver medalist in the 5 km).

Physicality

While announcer Alice Darling mentioned frequently how many of the young swimmers sought clean water when competing this past week in Santa Fe, there was a lot of clean physicality between the anchor legs of the USA and Hungary. Sawyer Hansen and Armand Marosszeki 

Kajimoto led most of the race, but hung on to capture a bronze medal in a rare tie with Alex Siegel of the USA.

All competitors from ages 14 to 16 were eligible to compete. It will be great to continue watching these young teenager’s development over the next two Olympic quadrennials (LA28 and 2032 Brisbane).

Hansen made a break here

4×1500 Mixed Relay (14-16 Years) Results

1. Russia: Anastasiia Siniakova (14) + Kira Guseva (14) + Aleksandr Filipets (16) + Alan Nosov (15) 1:01:45.90
2. USA: Alex Siegel (16) + Ansley Bess (14) + Joseph Eaddy (15) + Sawyer Hansen (15) 1:02:10.00
3. Hungary: Janka Merai (15) + Nora Barta (15) + Lazar Pannonhalmi (15) + Armand Marosszeki (16) 1:01:45.40
4. Italy: Valentina Solari (14) + Aldo del Giudice (15) + Sofia Biagi (16) + Massimo Novello (16) 1:02:57.60
5. Australia: Olivia Galea (16) + Mia Hoo 914) + Mason Kopff (15) + William Thorpe (16) 1:03:18.70
6. Turkey: Cemil Cankat Er (16) + Su Inal (16) + Ibrahim Burhan (15) + Ipek Su Ersan (15) 1:04:11.20
7. Argentina: Martina Delpodio (14) + Sofia Ovalles (14) + Mateo Mayer (16) + Thiago Pizzini Paz (16) 1:04:12.70
8. Chinese Taipei: Hao Liu (15) + Yung-Ling Tsai (16) + Pin-Cen Liu (14) + Bo Ling Su (15) 1:04:12.80
9. South Africa: Carter Markgraaff (15) + Taylia Smith (14) + Caitlin Evans (16) + Kellen Jones (16)
10. Brazil: Manuela Santos (15) + Guilherme Schubach (15) + Maria Eduarda Nobrega (16) + Rodrigo Cecchini (15) 1:05:15.50
11. Mexico: Diego Lopez Morales (15) + Yaretzi Georg Lomel Garcia (15) + Paloma Palacios Rosas (14) + Abel Gonzalez Banda (15) 1:06:19.70
12. New Zealand: Tyler Lushkott (16) + Amelia Hart-McEwan (14) + Dominic Barton (15) + Maeve McDonnell (16) 1:06:22.10
13. Peru: Oskar Vertiz (15) + Florella Dafne Rodriguez (15) + Hiroshi Ibarra (15) + Adriana Lucia Castillo (14) :07:28.20
14. Venezuela: Juan Ricardo Gomez Cardenas (16) + Fabrizio Guzzo Camacho (15) + Camilia Bello Villanueva (15) + Aithana Fleita Gonzalez (15) 1:08:26.30
15. Ecuador: Victoria Stephania Cattan (15) + Renato Leonel Moran (16) + Luciana Piechestein Ruiz (16) + Nathan Joel Zapata Moreno (13) 1:08:58.70
16. Puerto Rico: Daniel Rodriguez Otero (14) + Aureliz Rodriguez-Morales (15) + Danna Figueroa Zeda (15) + Dylan Rios (16) 1:10:18.90
17. Paraguay: Benjamin Insfran (14) + Juan Mendonca (15) + Anne Wagener Vittale (14) + Ayelet Battaglia (16) 1:10:30.90
18. Uruguay: Tadeo Puerto (14) + Diego Granero (14) + Melissa Harin (15) + Zaira Santangelo (15) 1:11:16.00

Video Coverage:

• Mixed 4x1500m (14-16) | World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2026 here
• Mixed 4x1500m (14-19) | World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2026 here
• Men’s 3 km Knockout (14-19) | World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2026 here
• Women’s 3 km Knockout Sprint (14-19) | World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2026 here
• Women’s 5 km (14-15) | World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2026 here
• Men’s 5 km (14-15) | World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2026 here
• Women’s 7.5 km (16-17) | World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2026 here
• Men’s 7.5 km (16-17) | World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2026 here
• Men’s 10 km (18-19) | World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2026 here
• Women’s 10 km (18-19) | World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2026 here

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