Issue No. 606
Sports
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3 - 9 October 2002 Issue No. 606 Sports |
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Stars of the sea
As Europe splashed its way through the World Open Water Swimming Championships last week in Sharm El-Sheikh, Nashwa Abdel-Tawab witnessed the waves
The 2nd FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships ended last week in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, with the participation of 39 female and 50 male long distance swimmers from 26 countries. The event, which comprised of 5km, 10km and 25km events, saw a surge of European prowess that put the rest of the swimming nations to shame.
Affront the backdrop of sea, sun, and mountains, World champions retained titles and others enjoyed fresh shots. It was déjà vu for the powerful Italian squad at the Egyptian event, as Luca Baldini and Viola Valli successfully defended their World 5km crowns on the first day of competition.
The women's 5km race got matters underway early, and it was soon evident that a titanic tussle was to develop between Viola Valli from Italy and the indomitable Edith van Dijk from the Netherlands. The diminutive Valli had the stronger finish and claimed her second successive 5km title in a time of 56:52: A good nine seconds ahead of van Dijk (first in Honolulu in the 10km and third of the same distance in Fukuoka). The Dutch swimmer was the winner of the 2001 FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup. Switzerland's Hanna Miluska claimed the bronze in a time of 58:13.
The men's event got under way later. Unlike the women's arena, the men's was a closely fought affair with the lead constantly changing hands. It was, literally, a sprint to escape from a sportsman's death. In death, it was a sprint for the finish, and it was Luca Baldini who edged out his Italian teammate Stefano Rubaudo to reclaim the title he won in Japan last year. Germany's Thomas Lurz had to settle for the minor placing a mere two seconds behind the champion. Baldini posted a 51:50, while Rubaudo settled with 51:51, just one second ahead of Lurz.
Curiously, over the years, Valli and Baldini have acquired the same career history: In the first edition of the competition, in Honolulu (2000), they both came third in the 5km. In 2001, on the occasion of the 9th FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Valli won the 5km race, trailed closely by Baldini.
Their most recent set of victories in Sharm El-Sheikh proved their unbeatable force in the distance. They were not Italy's only reason to celebrate, however, for Stefano Rubaudo came in second, completing the three-medal collection in this first day. The podium was completed with the young German Thomas Lurz -- just 21 years old.
In the competition's 10km open water swims, Germany's Britta Kamrau and Russia's Evgueni Koshkarov emerged triumphant. Kamrau won in 1 hour 56 minutes 42 seconds, while Koshkarov was the fastest man at 1:49:30.
In the women's race -- despite six- plus miles of swimming -- the competition was not decided until the very last stroke, as the 5km Italian champion, Viola Valli, crossed the finish lane only three-hundredths of a second behind the German swimmer. The win is the first world title for Britta Kamrau -- sixth last year in the 9th FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, second in the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup 2001 and currently in the third position in the overall rankings of the 2002 edition of the Marathon World Cup. Angela Maurer, also from Germany, came third in 1:56:49 and Edith van Dijk (NED), second in the 5km and winner of the 10km in the first edition of the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships in Honolulu (2000), finished in fourth position.
In the men's competition, the race also came down to the wire, with 20 year-old Koshkarov winning by a margin of four seconds over the Italian Simone Ercoli. Vladimir Diattchine took the last place on the podium in 1:49:35. For Koshkarov it is also his first major international success, while his teammate Diattchine was second in Fukuoka 2001.
Edith van Dijk and Yuri Koudinov triumphed in the 25km race that closed the 2nd FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships. In the first edition of this competition, two years ago in Honolulu, these two athletes were also the winners of this distance. After coming second in the 5km race and fourth in the 10th race, Van Dijk proved her metal and conquered her rivals by snatching the 25km title. German swimmers Angela Maurer and Britta Kamrau, respectively third and first of the 10km, were the protagonists of the toughest fight of the day. At the end, Maurer took the spot of second and Kamrau third by a difference of 27 hundredths of a second.
Koudinov was again the best in the 25km of the 9th FINA World Championships in Fukuoka (2001). For the Russian swimmer this victory was his third world title out of the last three world level rendezvous! The other medalists of the day were Anton Sanatchev of Russia, second (his first medal at this level), and Gabriel Chaillou of Argentina, third.
The field seemingly narrows tremendously after the event; with all eyes and heads turning in unison towards Europe in the hope of catching sight of even more rising stars of the sea.
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