The second stop on the 2024 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup was held in Sardinia’s Golfo Aranci on May 24th and 25th.

Since Ana Marcela Cunha burst on the international scene at the age of 16 when she placed 5th at the inaugural Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, she has stood on the podium at total of 79 times in her prolific career, winning 40 international races, earning silver 18 times and bronze 21 times.

And she did it again in Sardinia at the age of 32, the oldest woman in the elite field.

The Brazilian veteran pulled an Ilchenko. Cunha let the rest of the top swimmers jostle in and out of the lead while she bid her time in the lead pack. But with 700 meters to go, her Germany rival and Olympic gold medal favorite Leonie Beck and her made their moves almost in synchronization. The race could have been won by any of the top women at that point – France’s Caroline Jouisse, Brazil’s Viviane Jungblut, Beck, or the Netherland’s Sharon van Rouwendaal. With 500 meters to go, Beck and van Rouwendaal looked to have the advantage, but the Brazilian 2020 Olympic gold medalist came roaring through the pack with 100 meters to go with exquisite timing.

Cunha continues to put her mark on the sport – when it most counts. With a classic come-from-behind move (“The Ilchenko“) in the last sprint, she let it be known that her competitiveness is second to none on the last World Cup race before the Olympic Games on the women’s race on August 8th in Paris.

Top 33 Finishers

1. Ana Marcela Cunha (32, Brazil) 2:02:00.70
2. Viviane Jungblut (27, Brazil) 2:02:02.00
3. Leonie Beck (26, Germany) 2:02:02.20
4. Sharon van Rouwendaal (30, Netherlands) 2:02:02.30
5. Caroline Laure Jouisse (29, France) 2:02:04.70
6. Bettina Fabian (19, Hungary) 2:02:04.80
7. Airi Ebina (22, Japan) 2:02:04.90
8. Ginevra Taddeucci (27, Italy) 2:02:05.00
9. Angelica Andre (29, Portugal) 2:02:05.40
10. Mariah Denigan (20, USA) 2:02:07.10
11. Ines Delacroix (21, France) 2:02:08.50
12. Leah Phoebe Crisp (22, Great Britain) 2:02:10.30
13. Bianca Crisp (25, Australia) 2:02:13.70
14. Veronica Santoni (25, Italy) 2:02:13.90
15. Mafalda Rosa (20, Portugal) 2:02:14.60
16. Jeannette Spiwoks (25, Germany) 2:02:15.50
17. Xin Xin (27, China) 2:02:16.50
18. Barbara Pozzobon (30, Italy) 2:02:22.00
19. Silvia Ciccarella (24, Italy) 2:02:23.60
20. Mira Szimcsak (20, Hungary) 2:02:30.90
21. Martha Sandoval (25, Mexico) 2:02:31.40
22. Maria Bramont-Arias (24, Peru) 2:02:39.60
23. Julie Pleskotova (22, Czech Republic) 2:02:45.90
24. Sofie Callo von Platen (23, Italy) 2:03:03.30
25. Anna Olasz (30, Hungary) 2:03:06.40
26. Lea Boy (24, Germany) 2:03:10.90
27. Iris Menchini (20, Italy) 2:03:54.40
28. Emma Micheletti (18, Italy) 2:04:52.80
29. Renata Vigano (19, Italy) 2:09:05.90
30. Elena Tortora (19, Italy) 2:09:27.70
31. Letizia Gioffredi (17, Italy) 2:10:02.00
32. Yihan Mao (14, China) 2:10:39.00
33. Federica Sirchia (16, Italy) 2:13:17.50

© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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