Swimming World ChampionshipsSharon van Rowendal did not extend her world title in the 10km open water at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. The 29-year-old Dutchman missed the target. It was a photo final among three swimmers for the bronze medal. Van Roandal’s timing wasn’t good and she finished in a bad fourth place, which means she still hasn’t qualified for next year’s Olympics.
Her race went flawlessly, even better than when she became world champion last year. On every run in the waters of Momichi Beach, she’d come out on top with no problems and gave the thumbs up again to accompanying trainer Thijs Hagelstein. “Everything that was on my mind that could happen during a race, I had it under control,” said Van Rowendaal. “Unfortunately, we are left with five. I should have done my touch better and got my arm out of the water sooner.”
Finish biting nails
Before the World Cup, she indicated that she had only learned to swim about ten kilometers tactically in recent years. Before that, she threw her strength, with which she became an Olympic champion, but she was not a stable worker. In her late twenties, she was a contender for the podium in every competition. Australian Maddie Gough pulled the suit off the bar on Saturday morning JST and Van Rowendaal followed meticulously. For a moment they had a small gap, but in the last kilometer it became, just like the year before, the nail-biting end of the big names in marathon racing. Germany’s Leonie Beck, who was then picked up for the title by Van Rowendal in Budapest, took her own line this time and swam to victory after just over two hours.
, In the end I really wanted to follow it to save energy. I lay nicely behind her and moved to the left side so I could pass her through the crowd. Unfortunately, Leonie spun off to the right of Katie Grimes. It wasn’t until the finish line that I saw someone was ahead of us. Now to get a slice I had to do what they always do to me, wait on their hip and keep them with you. Then put a maximum gear in the last ten metres. When I eavesdropped, I didn’t know either.”
I misjudged and thought I could have taken advantage of that right
Sharon Van Roandall (29), open water swimmer
The second place went to Chelsea Gubica from Australia and the third place went to America Grimes after studying the final photos. Van Rowendal, who looked ahead but couldn’t reach the board with her right hand and pulled off an extra trick, finished fourth with Olympic champion Anna Marcella Kona from Tokyo, after flicking with a left. Van Rowendal sighed, in two-tenths of the fourth. ,, I misjudged and I think I could have taken advantage of that right. It’s very hard to get out well at a time like this. You switch frequencies, you run very fast and you have to look at the others and the board at the same time.”
Too close
Only women on the podium have qualified directly for the Paris Games in 2024. Van Roandal and Kunha know they have to finish 13th (clean result) in Doha in February at the next World Cup. ,, Four years ago I finished 10th in 0.10 seconds and was in a good position, now I’m 4th and I miss it. I was so close. But in Doha it should work if you keep training like this. This race has given me enough confidence. It all went according to plan, I was also very fit and didn’t have much stress.”
I don’t want to be sad either. It was fun and I don’t get that often in a match like this
Sharon Van Roandall (29), open water swimmer
That’s why she can’t cry about it. Disappointment is fine. “I don’t want to be sad either. With a little less awareness in my own tunnel. I’ve been able to really enjoy racing that way. It’s been fun and I don’t get that often,” said Van Rowendaal, who narrowly missed her fifth world championship medal over the 10km. In a competition like this one, she previously won a silver at the 2015 World Championships, a gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and a silver in 2021.
On Tuesday, the 29-year-old Dutchman, who is training to include the Games in Magdeburg and then back to the Netherlands, will swim the (non-Olympic) five-kilometre at the World Cup in Japan. Van Rowendal: I have yet to win an individual World Cup medal at that distance. That would also look good on my resume. The form is there and in my head I’m strong too. I know how to race and usually how to finish.”
