Ana Marcela Cunha Named 2019 Women’s Open Water Swimmer of the Year
Courtesy of Swimming World Magazine, Yeosu EXPO Ocean Park, Gwangju, South Korea.
Not surprisingly, Brazil’s Ana Marcela Cunha was named Swimming World Magazine’s 2019 Female Open Water Swimmer of the Year.
The 27-year-old from São Paolo is always force to be reckoned with under any conditions – warm or cold, turbulent or tranquil – anywhere (Asia, Americas, Europe) any distance anytime against anyone. Domestically or internationally, it is more noteworthy when Cunha is not on the podium than when she is.
2019 was no different.
Over a 6-day span at 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, Cunha swam Lurzian: first qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games by finishing 5th in the 10 km race on Day 1, then winning the 5 km race on Day 4, then leading off 4th place Team Brazil in the 5 km Team Relay on Day 5, then capping off her campaign with a victory in the 25 km marathon on Day 6.
She also won s the 10 km at the 2019 Pan American Games in Laguna Bujama, Lima.
She won her fourth career 25 km marathon swim at the 2019 FINA World Championships after winning in 2011, 2015 and 2017. But she also traveled to Taiwan where she won the 10 km race in Sun Moon Lake and the FINA/CNSG Marathon Swim World Series 10 km races in Nantou in China, Setúbal Bay in Portugal, and Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia.
It was an incredible year – as always – with Cunha.
FINA World Championships 10 km Top 10 Results on July 14th – 2020 Olympic Games Qualifier:
1. Xin Xin (China) 1:54:47.20
2. Haley Anderson (USA) 1:54:48.10
3. Rachele Bruni (Italy) 1:54:49.90
4. Lara Grangeon (France) 1:54:50.00
5. Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) 1:54:50.50
6. Ashley Twichell (USA) 1:54:50.50
7. Kareena Lee (Australia) 1:54:50.50
8. Finnia Wunram (Germany) 1:54:50.70
9. Leonie Beck (Germany) 1:54:51.00
10. Sharon van Rouwendaal (Netherlands) 1:54:51.10
FINA World Championships 5 km Top 10 Results on July 17th:
1. Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) 57:56.00
2. Aurelie Muller (France) 57:57.00
3. Hannah Moore (USA) 57:58.00
3. Leonie Beck (Germany) 57:58.00
5. Rachele Bruni (Italy) 57:58.70
6. Giulia Gabbrielleschi (Italy) 57:59.00
7. Ashley Twichell (USA) 58:00.00
8. Yawen Hou (China) 58:00.90
9. Lara Grangeon (France) 58:01.50
10. Maria Bramont-Arias (Peru) 58:09.10
FINA World Championships 5 km Team Relay Top 10 Results on July 18th:
1. Germany 53:58.70
2. Italy 53:58.90
3. USA 53:59.00
4. Brazil 54:24.50 (with Ana Marcela Cunha, Viviane Jungblut, Diogo Villarinho, Fernando Ponte)
5. Australia 54:36.80
6. France 54:37.10
7. Netherlands 54:37.20
8. Hungary 55:02.70
9. China 55:14.80
10. Russia 55:19.10
FINA World Championships 25 km Top 10 Results on July 19th:
1. Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) 5:08:03.00
2. Finnia Wunram (Germany) 5:08:11.60
3. Lara Grangeon (France) 5:08:21.20
4. Lisa Pou (France) 5:08:28.40
5. Erica Sullivan (USA) 5:11:23.20
6. Anna Olasz (Hungary) 5:11:51.50
7. Arianna Bridi (Italy) 5:11:52.60
8. Onon Katalin Somenek (Hungary) 5:11:54.70
9. Katy Campbell (USA) 5:11:59.60
10. Samantha Arevalo (Ecuador) 5:12:22.10
Pan American Games 10 km Marathon Swim Results:
Gold: Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) 2:00:51.9
Silver: Cecilia Biagioli (Argentina) 2:01:23.2
Bronze: Viviane Jungblut (Brazil) 2:01:24.0
4. Romina Imwinkelried (Argentina) 2:01:44.7
5. Kathryn Campbell (USA) 2:01:57.5
6. Kate Sanderson (Canada) 2:02:52.2
7. María Bramont-Arias (Peru) 2:02:56.9
8. Martha Sandoval (Mexico) 2:03:44.4
9. Chantel Jeffrey (Canada) 2:04:45.0
10. Rebecca Mann (USA) 2:04:47.0
Sun Moon Lake (Taiwan) 10 km Marathon Swim Results:
1. Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) 2:02:37.60
2. Arianna Bridi (Italy) 2:02:40.00
3. Rachele Bruni (Italy) 2:02:40.20
4. Kareena Lee (Australia) 2:02:40.30
5. Jeannette Spiworks (Germany) 2:02:47.00
6. Caroline Laure Jouisse (France) 2:08:00.10
7. Tsz Yin Nip (Hong Kong) 2:09:57.30
8. Mackenzie Brazier (Australia) 2:10:00.40
9. Li-Shan Chantal Liew (Singapore) 2:16:00.10
10. Hsin-Yi Fang (Chinese Taipei) 2:16:05.60
Lake Ohrid (North Macedonia) 10 km Marathon Swim Results:
1. Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) 2:11:38.40
2. Rachele Bruni (Italy) 2:11:40.90
3. Arianna Bridi (Italy) 2:11:41.30
4. Anna Olasz (Hungary) 2:11:42.80
5. Julia Arino (Argentina) 2:13:24.90
6. Caroline Jouisse (France) 2:15:56.40
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