Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Italy’s Martina Grimaldi has been on top of the awards podium before, but her recent European 25 km championship title was definitely very well-earned.

In Hoorn, Netherlands on the final day of the 2016 European Open Water Championships, the 27-year-old former world champion closely out-sprinted a lead group of five swimmers after a long 5+ hour race. Grimaldi out-touched young Russian star Olga Kozydub and France’s Caroline Jouisse with the respective times of 5:26:47.8 to 5:26:49.8 and 5:26:50.55.

Nearly 42 years old, German Angela Maurer was in the top pack, competing with women nearly half her age.

25 km Marathon Swim Results:
1 Martina Grimaldi (ITA) 5:26:47.8

2 Olga Kozydub (RUS) 5:26:49.8

3 Caroline Jouisse (FRA) 5:26:50.5

4 Arianna Bridi (ITA) 5:26:57.3

5 Angela Maurer (GER) 5:26:57.6

6 Morgane Dornic (FRA) 5:30:18.2

7 Barbara Pozzobon (ITA) 5:30:24.4

8 Sarah Bosslet (GER) 5:34:27.7

9 Charlyne Secrestat (FRA) 5:36:54.6

10 Lenka Sterbova (CZE) 5:52:02.8

DNF Silvie Rybarova (CZE)

DNF Ellen Olsson (SWE)

DNF Anna Greta Olasz (HUN)

Along with her Italian male teammates on the last day of competition, Matteo Furlan and Edoardo Stochino, Grimaldi helped Italy win the overall Championships with 202 total points. Germany was second with 116 points and the Netherlands third with 101.

Championships Team Results:
1 Italy 202 total points
2 Germany 116
3 Netherlands 101
4 Russia 94
5 Great Britain 93
6 France 82
7 Hungary 72
8 Portugal 53
9 Czech Republic 38
10 Greece 33
11 Poland 28
12 Spain 23
13 Israel 16
14 Macedonia 11
15 Slovenia 9
16 Austria 5
17 Ireland 4
17 Ukraine 4
19 Serbia 3
20 Belgium 1
20 Sweden 1

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