Two-time Olympic 10K Marathon Swim medalist (gold in 2016 + silver in 2020) Sharon van Rouwendaal is swimming confidently, strategically, and blazing fast in the Old Doha Port in Qatar this week at the World Aquatics Championships.

The 30-year-old just barely touched out Maria de Valdes Alvarez of Spain in the 10 km Olympic qualification race, winning 1:57:26.80 to Valdes’ 1:57:26.90 on Saturday, but today Rouwendaal put a little bit more distance on the field in the shorter 5 km sprint open water race. In fact, there was no need for any photo finish analyses by the officials in the 5 km race. The naked eye of the finish officials caught each of the women sprinting down the finish chute and slamming their hands on the finish pad.

Her double gold performance puts her in the driver’s seat – at least mentally and in the eyes of the world’s media – while her competitors look a bit vulnerable…to some extent. But behind the scenes, there are many unseen issues to consider when guessing the podium favorites going into the 2024 Paris Olympics 10 km marathon swim:

• Chelsea Gubecka of Australia skipped the 10 km race, but swam very well in the 5 km, placing second. The Australian women’s team looks to be the most powerful and successful group of swimmers in Paris – and Gubecka will undoubtedly channel that Aussie medal momentum and speed on the last swimming event on the Olympic schedule.
• Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil finished 3rd in the 5 km and 5th in 10 km – which is very good by most standards, but just off her usual standing on top of the podium. But the 31-year-old is undoubtedly saving a bit of extra push for the Seine at the Olympics as the defending gold medalist.
• Katie Grimes of the USA was 4th in the 5 km and 15th in 10 km, but she also has a slate of pool swimming races where she wants to swim well. In Paris, her pool events will be over and she will have plenty of time to gear up and focus on the 10 km race where she is a podium favorite.
• Oceane Cassignol of France was 5th in the 5 km and 10th in 10 km will be swimming in front of her fellow French citizens and that always counts for an extra boost of adrenalien, especially down the finish chute.
• Maria de Valdes Alvarez of Spain finished an unexpected 6th in the 5 km and 2nd in 10 km is undoubtely riding a wave of confidence and carefully developed speed and stamina.
• Caroline Laure Jouisse of France was 8th in the 5 km and 7th in 10 km. Like her French teammates, she will be swimming in front of a boisterous French audience and that always counts for an extra boost of adrenaline, especially down the finish chute.
• Angelica Andre of Portugal was 10th in the 5 km and an unexpected 3rd in 10 km. The 29-year-old may see Paris as her best opportunity to reach the podium and her recent climb to the top was a huge confident booster and validation that her training is spot on.
• Mariah Denigan of the USA was 11th in the 5 km and 6th in 10 km, that validates her steady rise among the world’s elite. A breakout swim of the life in the Seine is in the cards.
• Leonie Beck of Germany was 13th in the 5 km and 20th in the 10 km, a curious fall from her double victories in last year’s world championships. But the statuesque 26-year-old is still considered the gold medal favorite going into Paris. If the Olympics comes down to the last stroke, no one has the reach of Beck.

World 5 km Championship Women’s Results

1. Sharon van Rouwendaal, Netherlands 57:33.90 (1st in 10 km)
2. Chelsea Gubecka, Australia 57:35.00 (DNS in 10 km)
3. Ana Marcela Cunha, Brazil 57:36.80 (5th in 10 km)
4. Katie Grimes, USA 57:38.40 (15th in 10 km)
5. Oceane Cassignol, France 57:38.40 (10th in 10 km)
6. Maria de Valdes Alvarez, Spain 57:39.50 (2nd in 10 km)
7. Giulia Gabbrielleschi, Italy 57:47.60 (DNS in 10 km)
8. Caroline Laure Jouisse, France 57:51.50 (7th in 10 km)
9. Viviane Jungblut, Brazil 57:52.90 (14th in 10 km)
10. Angelica Andre, Portugal 57:54.10 (3rd in 10 km)
11. Mariah Denigan, USA 57:55.30 (6th in 10 km)
12. Mafalda Rosa, Portugal 57:55.40 (19th in 10 km)
13. Leonie Beck, Germany 57:56.60 (20th in 10 km)
14. Barbara Pozzobon, Italy 57:58.50 (DNS in 10 km)
15. Jeanette Spiwoks, Germany 58:03.30 (16th in 10 km)
16. Candela Sanchez Lora, Spain 58:03.40
17. Xin Xin, China 58:07.20 (37th in 10 km)
18. Yihan Mao, China 58:57.50 (40th in 10 km)
19. Mira Szimcsak, Hungary 59:00.60
20. Mira Szimcsak, Hungary 59:00.60
21. Martha Sandoval, Mexico 59:03.60 (23rd in 10 km)
22. Amica de Jager, South Africa 59:04.00 (27th in 10 km)
23. Emma Finlin, Canada 59:04.40 (24th in 10 km)
24. Bianca Crisp, Australia 59:06.00
25. Tory Earle, South Africa 59:06.30
26. Tuna Erdogan, Turkey 59:07.80 (45th in 10 km)
27. Alena Benesova, Czech Republic 59:07.80
28. Spela Perse, Slovenka 59:10.40 (48th in 10 km)
29. Samantha Arevalo, Ecuador 59:10.50
30. Maria Bramont-Arias, Peru 59:10.80
31. Lenka Pavlacka, Czech Republic 59:14.30
32. Paola Perez, Venezuela 59:14.90
33. Anna Olasz, Hungary 59:15.00
34. Hae Rim Lee, Korea 59:16.90
35. Tsz In Nip, Hong Kong 59:18.70 (39th in 10 km)
36. Georgia Makri, Greece 59:21.30 (36th in 10 km)
37. Ana Abad, Ecuador 59:21.90
38. Laila Oravsky, Canada 59:22.40
39. Jungju Park, Korea 1:01:18.00
40. Katja Fain, Slovenia 1:01:20.40
41. Diana Taszhanova, Kazakhstan 1:01:20.70
42. Yu-Wen Teng, Taipei 1:01:22.90
43. Pac Tung Nikita Lam, Hong Kong 1:01:25.00
44. Yanci Vanegas, Guatemala 1:04:47.70
45. Fatima Portillo, El Salvador 1:04:47.70
46. Yi-Chen Wang, Taipei 1:04:53.70
47. Darya Pushko, Kazakhstan 1:04:55.20
48. Malak Meqdar, Morocco 1:04:55.80
49. Karia Edith de la Rosa, Mexico 1:04:56.40
50. Ruthsell Guadalupe Aponte Teran, Venezuela 1:04:56.80
51. Alondra Itzel Quiles, Puerto Rico 1:05:01.10
52. Sezen Akanda Boz, Turkey 1:05:02.50
53. Isabella Hernandez, Dominican Republic 1:07:56.80
54. Bangalore Mahesh Rithika, India 1:08:47.20
55. Kathriana Melia Gustianjani, India 1:09:00.40
56. Mariela Guadamuro, Puerto Rico 1:09:25.00
57. Brynne Kinnaird, Namibia 1:12:33.50
58. Carissa Steyn, Namibia OTL
59. Maria Fernanda Rodriguez, Bolivia OTL
60. Dorianne Bristol, Seychelles OTL
61. Swagiah Mubiru Uganda OTL
62. Li-Shan Chantal Liew, Singapore DNF
63. Maria Porres, Guatemala DNS
64. Michell Ramirez, Honduras DNS
65. Maria Bianchi, Kenya DNS

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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