22 July 2009
Chad Ho made history at the 13th FINA World Championships in Rome on Tuesday, becoming the first South African to win a medal in the five-kilometre open water swim, taking bronze.
After South Africa’s fruitless pursuit of medals at the Beijing Olympics, Ho’s medal so early in the next major international swimming event would have come as a major boost, and relief, to the SA team.
The 19-year-old, who hails from Durban, challenged favourite Thomas Lurz of Germany from the start, but when the break came, only Greek Spyridon Gianniotis was able to hold on as the two challenged for gold. Lurz eventually edged in by just 0.3 seconds to win in 56 minutes 26.9 seconds.
Lurz claimed his fifth title, while Ho provided South Africa with its first open water swimming FINA World Championship medal in a fantastic effort ahead of Italian Luca Ferretti. Ho was outstanding, finishing just 15 seconds off the pace and leading home the challengers by 2.4 seconds.
“I felt good,” Ho said after the race. “The pace was not too fast and not too slow. I kept my own pace. Around the last turn everyone swung wide and I kept to myself and I took a different line.”
The growing stature of the world’s largest open water swimming event, South Africa’s Halfway Telkom Midmar Mile, was clear to see in the day’s results. In the case of Ho, he won the boys under-14 years event in the Midmar in 2004, then followed that up with a seventh among the Midmar seniors in 2005, a third in 2006, second in 2008, and again third this year.
Interestingly, winner Thomas Lurz was supposed to swim in the Midmar Mile earlier this year, but a call-up for military service torpedoed his participation.
Race organiser Wayne Riddin says negotiations were already on the go before the World Championships to get Lurz, runner-up Gianniotis, and Ho to compete in the 2010 Midmar Mile.
Danie Marais made his debut in the five-kilometre men’s event and finished 32nd in 58:21.90.
Victory in the women’s race went to Australia’s Melissa Gorman, who won the Midmar Mile in 2007. She surprised Russia’s Larisa Ilchenko, the Olympic open water champion, in a classic battle.
Brazil’s Poliana Okimoto out-kicked Spain’s Yurema Juarez to snatch the bronze medal in a pulsating finish.
Germany’s Nadine Pastour, who impressed at the Midmar Mile in February, had to settle for 13th place.
Gorman made it clear from the onset that she meant business. Always in the hunt, it was Gorman who turned on the pace, with Ilchenko and her compatriot Ekaterina Seliverstova, along with Okimoto and Juarez, creating the decisive break 35 minutes into the race.
“I can’t believe I’ve come away with the World Championship. It’s my first time, I’m so excited,” said Gorman.
“I’ve always dreamt of winning a gold medal at an international meet and to win the World Championships gold medal is so exciting.
“First I’ve got to focus on the 10-kilometre (on Thursday) and then I’ll go home and enjoy it.
“I’ve always looked up to Larisa. She’s been my idol in open water swimming, so to be able to swim against her and beat her in the finish is incredible. I can’t believe I got there.”
Gorman’s victory cannot be understated against an opponent who has dominated open water swimming for the last five years, since claiming her first world title at just 16 years of age in the five-kilometre at Dubai in 2004.
Natalie du Toit from South Africa finished well off the pace in 58:56.3 to claim 21st place, two minutes off the pace, while Dominique Dryding finished 37th in 59:53.2.
RESULTS
Women
Men
SAinfo reporter
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