Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Allan Lopes Mamédio do Carmo is joining fellow winner of the FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup series Ana Marcela Cunha at the King and Queen of the Sea (Rei e Rainha do Mar) in Copacabana Beach in Brazil.

The pair of FINA World Open Water Swimmers of the Year will pair up to be a formidable duo in tomorrow’s grid race.

Do Carmo explained this season’s success, “I was happy about the outcome of the series. I expected to do well and am confident heading into 2015. I am looking forward to the 2014 World Swimming Championships [where the first 10 finalists will be chosen for the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim]. There will be a lot of pressure on this race to get into the top 10.”

But he is swimming well right now and has really dialed in his nutrition and training regimen.

However, when you consider where Do Carmo and Marcela Cunha come from, Bahia, the story becomes even more incredible.

Patrick Winkler of the SWIM Channel explains, “We have 26 states in Brazil, but Bahia does not have one 50-meter pool in the entire state. Yet Bahia produces so many good, world-class swimmers. Many of them first learn to swim in the sea.”

Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association