Ashley Twichell finally realized her athletic dream when she lined up for the 10 km marathon swim at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, but after leading the pack for some time, she faded to 7th in the warm waters of Tokyo Bay, only 7 seconds behind Olympic gold medalist and long-time rival Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil.

She took off some time in her post-Olympic career and had a baby (son) with her husband Derek Wall. But now that Lochlan is over a year old, Twichell went back into training – and competition. She finished fourth in the qualifying race at the USA Swimming Open Water Championships in April 2023 (when Lochlan was only 11 months).

The 34-year-old from North Carolina, swimming under John Payne of the TAC Titans, definitely pulled off the biggest upset in the open water swimming world in this Paris Olympic quadrennial with an unexpected 13-second victory over the reigning Olympic champion at the Pan American Games 10 km marathon swim.

Twichell is up for consideration for USA Swimming’s Golden Goggles’ Perseverance Award – that would be a fitting tribute if she were to win. Awards will be announced on November 19th.

Another remarkable mother (of a 10-year-old son) 38-year-old 5-time Olympic swimmer Cecilia Biagioli of Argentina finished fourth in the Pan Am 10 km race in Laguna Los Morros, Chile. The athletes wore wetsuits due to the 17°C (62.6°F) water temperature.

Pan American Games 10 km Women’s Results

1. Ashley Twichell (USA) 1:57:16.4
2. Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) 1:57:29.4
3. Viviane Jungblut (Brazil) 1:57:51.1
4. Cecilia Biagioli (Argentina) 1:58:09.7
5. Leah Degeorge (USA) 1:58:54.7
6. Emma Finlin (Canada) 1:59:56.7
7. Candela Giordanino (Argentina) 2:01:43.3
8. Maria Alejandra Bramont-Arias Garcia (Peru) 2:02:47.4
9. Martha Rocio Sandoval Ayala (Mexico) 2:03:46.0
10. Ana Victoria Abad Cedeno (Ecuador) 2:03:46.3
11. Bailey Ella O’Regan (Canada) 2:04:35.8
12. Mahina Nicole Valdivia Dannenberg (Chile) 2:04:37.1
13. Fanny Gabriela Ccollcca Sanchez (Peru) 2:04:48.1
14. Paulina Susej Alanis Hernandez (Mexico) 2:04:55.0
15. Maria Fernanda Porres Debroy (EAI) 2:06:03.2
16. Britta Schwengle (Aruba) 2:07:28.0
17. Jennifer Michell Ramirez Posada (Honduras) 2:16:48.1
18. Kisha Paola Jimenez Rodriguez (Costa Rica) DNF
19. Yanci Maria Vanegas Barrera (EAI) DQ
20. Fatima Beatriz Portillo Gonzales (ESA) DQ

© 2023 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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