Two-time Olympic 10K Marathon Swim medalist (gold in 2016 + silver in 2020) Sharon van Rouwendaal won the highly competitive 10 km world championship marathon swim in the Old Doha Port in Qatar. Her victory was not surprising given her Olympic pedigree.

But very, very few could have predicted the placing of the rest of the top swimmers – and 2024 Paris Olympic qualifiers.

As expected in the open water, the unexpected happen. Not only did the odds-on favorite to win – Leonie Beck of Germany – finish in 20th place, but another expected podium finisher and 2024 Olympian Katie Grimes of the USA placed well out of podium position in 15th. Another world champion and Olympian Xin Xin of China finished an uncharacteristic 37th.

Reigning Olympic champion Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil breathed a sign of relief with a 5th place finish, enabling her to qualify for her fourth Olympic 10K Marathon Swim (2008, 2016, 2020, 2024).

But Olympic dreams and two podium positions were garnered by Maria de Valdes Alvarez of Spain (silver) and Angelica Andre of Portugal (bronze). The distance specialists are marathon swimming veterans had their own internal Olympic dreams, but prognosticators could not have predicted a silver medal for de Valdes. The 25-year-old Spaniard had finished 21st, 30th, and 30th in her last three World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup races last year.

Andre, a 29-year-old from Portugal, was also an unlikely bronze medalist. She had finished 14th in her last World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup race and and 15th in the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka.

Many other tears flowed for the remaining competitors who filled out the 22-person field for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics 10 km marathon swimming final from Moesha Johnson who will join her Australia teammate Chelsea Gubecka in Paris to Mariah Denigan who will join her American teammate Katie Grimes in racing on the Seine at the Olympics.

And Lisa Pou of Monaco will also be in Paris, representing one of the smallest countries in the Olympic marathon swim.

Former Olympic and world championship referee and FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee Secretary Shelley Taylor-Smith summed up the action in Old Doha Port, “As always, open water swimming has evolved as a marathon swimming Olympic event since its inaugural inclusion in Beijing Olympic Games 2008. We are witnessing not only a global explosion for the love of all things open water, but also at the elite level that is the Olympic Games, we are seeing the consistent growth and increased depth in federations in all continents.

As witnessed today, there is significant depth with 71 female competitors vying for the ultimate prize, an invitation to represent their country at the Paris Olympic Games 2024.

Again the Olympic qualifier provided an ultimate display of competitiveness, sportsmanship, and heartache as we celebrated with those who achieved their childhood dream of becoming an Olympian whilst their fellow teammate missed out. It always breaks my heart to watch because it comes down to less than a second, with many “what if’s” that lie heavily on those ladies today.

Many may say there are many unknowns. However, I see the powerhouse open water swimming federations in Europe dominate with France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain coming to the fore. Of course, Brazil is led by open water swimmer’s GOAT Ana Marcela Cunha for the Americas along with Katie Grimes of USA.”

2024 Paris Olympic 10K Marathon Swim Finalists

Even with the results of the 2024 Paris Olympic qualifier in the books, the actual swimmers who will be standing on the start line in Paris are yet to be decided. The entrants have to be first determined by World Aquatics and then the spot needs to be accepted and confirmed by the national governing body, and then the name of the proposed swimmer needs to be submitted. This process may take days or weeks or, perhaps, months to officially and finally determine.

Stay tuned.

Olympic 10K Marathon Swim Qualification Race Results

1. Sharon van Rouwendaal, Netherlands 1:57:26.80
2. Maria de Valdes Alvarez, Spain 1:57:26.90
3. Angelica Andre, Portugal 1:57:28.20
4. Moesha Johnson, Australia 1:57:30.80
5. Ana Marcela Cunha, Brazil 1:57:31.10
6. Mariah Denigan, USA 1:57:31.10
7. Caroline Laure Jouisse, France 1:57:32.30
8. Arianna Bridi, Italy 1:57:33.20
9. Lisa Pou, Monaco 1:57:33.40
10. Oceane Cassignol, France 1:57:34.90
11. Airi Ebina, Japan 1:57:35.50
12. Bettina Fabian, Hungary 1:57:36.5
13. Angela Martinez Guillen, Spain 1:57:36.60
14. Viviane Jungblut, Brazil 1:57:39.30
15. Katie Grimes, USA 1:57:39.40
16. Jeanette Spiwoks, Germany 1:57:46.00
17. Leah Phoebe Crisp, Great Britain 1:57:50.00
18. Maddy Gough, Australia 1:57:51.70
19. Mafalda Rosa, Portugal 1:57:52.90
20. Leonie Beck, Germany 1:58:11.80
21. Ichika Kajimoto, Japan 1:58:17.40
22. Ginevra Taddeucci, Italy 1:58:21.10
23. Martha Sandoval, Mexico 1:58:21.60
24. Emma Finlin, Canada 1:58:22.30
25. Maria Bramont-Arias, Peru 1:58:35.20
26. Mira Szimcsak, Hungary 1:58:37.50
27. Amica de Jager, South Africa 1:58:38.60
28. Amber Keegan, Great Britain 1:58:38.60
29. Calian Lotter, South Africa 2:00:07.90
30. Paola Perez, Venezuela 2:00:22.50
31. Samantha Arevalo, Ecuador 2:00:55.80
32. Eva Fabian, Israel 2:02:19.80
33. Candela Giordanino, Argentina 2:03:09.10
34. Eden Girloanta, Israel 2:03:56.70
35. Alena Benesova, Czech Republic 2:03:58.90
36. Georgia Makri, Greece 2:04:05.90
37. Xin Xin, China 2:04:21.10
38. Li-Shan Chantal Liew, Singapore 2:04:22.80
39. Tsz Yin Nip, Hong Kong 2:05:10.60
40. Yihan Mao, China 2:06:07.60
41. Lenka Pavlacka, Czech Republic 2:06:12.60
42. Hae Rim Lee, Korea 2:06:14.60
43. Paulina Alanis Hernandez, Mexico 2:06:16.60
44. Klara Bosnjak, Croatia 2:06:25.30
45. Tuna Erdogan, Turkey 2:06:42.60
46. Ana Abad, Ecuador 2:07:26.70
47. Yu-Wen Teng, Taipei 2:07:28.60
48. Spela Perse, Slovenia 2:07:38.70
49. Kamonchanok Kwanmuang, Thailand 2:07:42.10
50. Pac Tung Nikita Lam, Hong Kong 2:08:05.80
51. Laila Oravsky, Canada 2:09:16.40
52. Katja Fain, Slovenia 2:11:00.30
53. Jungju Park, Korea 2:12:15.20
54. Britta Schwengle, Aruba 2:13:36.90
55. Yi-Chen Wang, Taipei 2:15:32.60
56. Yanci Vanegas, Guatemala 2:15:33.20
57. Mariya Fedotova, Kazakhstan 2:16:01.90
58. Diana Taszhanova, Kazakhstan 2:17:32.70
59. Pimpun Choopong, Thailand 2:17:34.90
60. Maria Porres, Guatemala 2:17:36.90
61. Alondra Itzel Quiles, Puerto Rico 2:17:38.80
62. Ruthseli Guadalupe Aponte Teran, Venezuela 2:17:43.60
63. Fatima Portillo, El Salvador 2:21:11.70
64. Ashmitha Chandra, India 2:21:11.80
65. Isabella Hernandez, Dominican Republic 2:21:38.7
66. Mariela Guadamuro, Puerto Rico 2:22:31.30
67. Ashley Yi Ting Ng, Singapore 2:26:08.40
68. Mahalakshmi Porur Kalan Rajagopal Ravi, India OTL
69. Sezen Akanda Boz, Turkey DNF
70. Cecilia Biagioli, Argentina DNF
71. Rafaela Santo, Angola DNF

For more information, visit www.worldaquatics-doha2024.com. For the list of 79 starters in the men’s race, visit here.

© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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