Courtesy of WOWSA, Doha Bay, Qatar.

Disappointed in 2008, 2012 and 2016, Ana Marcela Cunha got off to an excellent start in the build-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a victory on the opening stop on the 2019 FINA Marathon Swim Series.

With her victory, the Brazilian dynamo is most definitely one of the odds-on favorites for winning the 2019 FINA World Championships in South Korea this summer and qualifying for the 10 km swim at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Cunha beat an emerging Kareena Lee of Australia by 0.40 seconds, 2016 silver medalist Rachele Bruni of Italy by 1.50 seconds, and 2012 silver medalist Haley Anderson by 3.90 seconds in Qatar.

The race in Doha Bay may be a preview of the Olympic final in Tokyo next year.

With a completely flat, very warm-water conditions expected in Tokyo, the race will be close – with 2016 Olympic champion Sharon van Rouwendaal and France’s Aurélie Muller also expected to be racing in the lead pack.

10 km Results:
1 Ana Marcela Cunha, Brazil 2:03:51.50
2 Kareena Lee, Australia 2:03:52.00
3 Rachele Bruni, Italy 2:03:53.00
4 Haley Anderson, USA 2:03:55.40
5 Leonie Beck, Germany 2:03:55.80
6 Giulia Gabbrielleschi, Italy 2:03:58.20
7 Yawen Hou, China 2:03:59.00
8 Arianna Bridi, Italy 2:04:00.20
9 Hannah Moore, USA 2:04:00.30
10 Ashley Twichell, USA 2:04:01.60
11 Chloe Gubecka, Australia 2:04:03.50
12 Sharon van Rouwendaal, Netherlands 2:04:05.20
13 Finnia Wunram, Germany 2:04:05.50
14 Erica Sullivan, USA 2:04:09.30
15 Reka Rohacs, Hungary 2:04:12.30
16 Katy Campbell, USA 2:04:12.60
17 Mackenzie Brazier, Australia 2:04:13.20
18 Xin Xin, China 2:04:16.80
19 Paula Ruiz, Spain 2:04:18.40
20 Lea Boy, Germany 2:04:19.80
21 Anna Olasz, Hungary 2:04:21.20
22 Angelica Andre, Portugal 2:04:21.60
23 Fuwei Dong, China 2:04:24.50
24 Martina de Memme, Italy 2:04:26.10
25 Samantha Arevalo, Ecuador 2:04:28.80
26 Kalliopi Araouzou, Greece 2:04:29.00
27 Esmee Vermeulen, Netherlands 2:04:29.30
28 Minami Niikura, Japan 2:04:30.10
29 Sarah Bosslet, Germany 2:04:30.30
30 Chelsea Gubecka, Australia 2:04:30.50
31 Onon Katalin Somenek, Hungary 2:04:41.40
32 Angela Maurer, Germany 2:04:48.40
33 Viviane Jungblut, Brazil 2:04:52.60
34 Alice Dearing, Great Britain 2:05:25.50
35 Danielle Huskisson, Great Britain 2:06:01.90
36 Chase Travis, USA 2:06:07.60
37 Becca Mann, USA 2:06:18.40
38 Jeannette Spiwoks, Germany 2:07:03.80
39 Jordan White, Australia 2:07:04.20
40 Polly Isabella Holden, Great Britain 2:07:27.10
41 Krystyna Panchishko, Ukraine 2:07:56.20
42 Mariah Denigan, USA 2:08:34.80
43 Vasiliki Kadoglu, Bulgaria 2:09:48.30
44 Carla Goyanes Garcia, Spain 2:09:48.50
45 Alice Franco, Italy 2:10:01.60
46 Muran Tian, China 2:10:23.10
47 Yukimi Moriyama, Japan 2:10:27.60
48 Mira Szimcsak, Hungary 2:12:44.20
49 Luca Vas, Hungary 2:12:52.70
50 Yi-Chen Wang, Chinese Taipei 2:23:03.70
51 Aleyna Nur Sungur, Turkey 2:26:04.60
52 Hsin-Yi Fang, Chinese Taipei 2:29:05.70

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