World-class marathon swimmers give Hyde Park revellers a treat
London 2012 organisers today staged the London 2012 Marathon Swimming test event, the London 10km Marathon Swimming International, in Hyde Park – drawing park revellers and swimming fans to the Serpentine Lake to watch the action.
The opportunity to see the world’s best marathon swimmers in action for free proved a hit amongst spectators.
The one-day invitational event welcomed 60 athletes who finished within the top 30 in the men’s and women’s competitions at the 14th FINA World Championships 2011 in Shanghai, China last month.
The course followed the exact same route that will be used for the Olympic Games in 2012, giving athletes and organisers alike the chance for a dress rehearsal less than one year before the main event.
The women’s race, held over six laps of the 1.67km course, saw Martina Grimaldi of Italy cross the line first ahead of the USA’s Eva Fabian and Brazil’s Poliana Okimoto. In the men’s race, 21-year-old Canadian Richard Weinberger, who has not yet qualified for London 2012, took the gold medal ahead of rivals Thomas Lurz of Germany and current World Champion Spyros Gianniotis of Greece.
Winner of the women’s race, Martina Grimaldi, said of the event: ‘It has been very well organised. I think for London this has been a very good test event. There will be lots more people next year, and I will be excited to swim here again next year.’
David Luckes, Head of Sport Competition at London 2012, said: ‘The marathon swim is now the 13th test event we have completed this summer. Another iconic London venue, another chance for spectators to see world class international sport for free and another chance for us to test vital aspects of the event. We have done that successfully today, looking specifically at athlete flows, how the course is laid out and the intermediate timing points and also how LOCOG teams have operated today, alongside the International Swimming Federation, to stage the event.’
