Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
Aurélie Muller has had quite a run…ranging from good to disappointing from the 2008 Beijing Olympic 10K Marathon Swim to now.
But the two-time French Olympian is really coming into her own now as the reigning world 10 km marathon swimming champion.
She showed her tenacity today at the 5 km race at the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships in Fort Myers, Florida when she led most of the way – but most importantly at the end in a photo-finish with Haley Anderson and Poliana Okimoto.
She went stroke-for-stroke with her Olympic rivals from America and Brazil, with other Olympic medal favorites – Ana Marcela Cunha and Rachele Bruni – right on her feet. Muller shows that she has what it takes to win the gold medal.
5 km Results:
1 Aurélie Muller (France) 1:01:48.30
2 Haley Anderson (USA) 1:01:48.40
3 Poliana Okimoto (Brazil) 1:01:48.52
4 Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) 1:01:49.61
5 Rachele Bruni (Italy) 1:01:50.04
6 Arianna Brini (Italy) 1:01:50.09
7 Emily Brunemann (USA) 1:01:55.65
8 Ashley Twichell (USA) 1:02:20.62
9 Yumi Kida (Japan) 1:02:22.68
10 Eva Fabian (USA) 1:02:23.05
11 Joy Field (USA) 1:02:23.85
12 Angelica Andre (Portugal) 1:02:27.69
13 Stephanie Peacock (USA) 1:02:29.37
14 Taylor Pike (USA) 1:04:02.15
15 Sarah Bosslet (Germany) 1:04:37.18
16 Erica Sullivan (USA) 1:04:52.23
17 Alice Franco (Italy) 1:04:54.83
18 Ana Pozder (USA) 1:05:15.29
19 Alicia Mancilla (USA) 1:05:19.16
20 Hailey Houck (USA) 1:05:21.81
21 Cathryn Salladin (USA) 1:05:30.19
22 Natalie Ward (USA) 1:05:54.31
23 Eliot Kennedy (USA) 1:06:22.64
24 Chenoa Davis (USA) 1:07:00.07
25 Kat Wickham (USA) 1:07:04.84
26 Mary Margaret Banick (USA) 1:07:04.84
27 Haley Pike (USA) 1:07:08.84
28 Heidi George (USA) 1:07:10.00
29 Kensey McMahon (USA) 1:07:10.63
30 Caitlin Daday (USA) 1:07:14.22
31 Jordan Anderson (USA) 1:07:20.24
32 Reese Lamph (USA) 1:07:26.64
33 Sabrina Mortell (USA) 1:08:17.07
34 Brittney Beetcher (USA) 1:09:14.13
35 Casey Francis (USA) 1:13:46.51
DNF Sharon Van Rouwendaal (Netherlands)
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