Haley Anderson Defends Women’s 5K Open Water Title at 2015 FINA World Championships

Photo Courtesy: R-Sport / MIA Rossiya Segodnya

Coverage of the 2015 FINA World Championships is sponsored by Wylas Timing. Visit our coverage page for more.

Coverage of the World Championships is sponsored by Wylas Timing. Visit our landing page for more.

Haley Anderson of the United States successfully defended her women’s 5K open water title today at the 2015 FINA World Championships.

Anderson won the race in 58:48.4, while Greece’s Kalliopi Araouzou took second in 58:49.8. Germany’s Finnia Wunram claimed bronze in 58:51.0.

Anderson became just the third woman to ever win multiple gold medals in the event with Russian legend Larissa Ilchenko having won it five times and Italy’s Viola Valli taking home three of the titles.

That’s Anderson’s sixth international medal in open water and pool swimming combined.

On top of winning the women’s 5K at the 2013 Barcelona World Championships, she also took silver at the 2012 London Olympics in the women’s 10K event. Additionally, she won the women’s 10K event at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships.

In 2011, she claimed a pair of pool medals ta the World University Games with a gold in the 1500 free and a silver in the 800 free.

This is Team USA’s ninth medal in the women’s 5K, tying Russia for the most medals in the event’s history.

Arauzou’s silver is Greece’s second medal ever in women’s open water competition as Marianna Lymperta took bronze in the 10K in 2011.

Wunram produced Germany’s sixth medal ever in the women’s 5k, third behind USA and Russia’s aforementioned nine.

Sharon van Rouwendaal of The Netherlands, the reigning Swimming World Open Water Swimmer of the Year, finished fourth in 58:55.5 as part of the first pack of finishers.

2015 FINA World Championships, Open Water Swimming: Women’s 5K – Results

QUOTES

Haley Anderson (USA, gold): “The conditions were great today and I am really happy with my finish. I really just wanted to get on this course as a tune up for the 10km. I am confident that I am prepared for the 10km race next week. This victory means a lot. I take this process of qualification for the 2016 Olympics only one step at a time. Today’s race is a stepping stone to the 10km where I hope to qualify for Rio”.

[On the venue]: “It was a great course and really nice for open water swimmers. Everyone races in the same conditions and I don’t let anything affect my confidence on the day of the race. It was a bit choppy today, but for me the water temperature was perfect, I was comfortable during the entire race. My strategy was to stay towards the front of the race where I would be able to make a push at the end. I knew that Eva was in the race and I wondered where she might be at the finish but I also knew that I needed to kick hard and give it everything I had at the finish.”

Finnia Wunram (GER, bronze): “I am really very happy, because it’s my first medal at a FINA World Championships. I raced in 2014 but I was disqualified for swimming on the wrong side of the buoy. So for my second race, a bronze medal is unbelievable. I won’t be racing in the 10km but I will race in the 25km. I think I prefer the shorter open water events but I am looking forward to racing again.”

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INTHEFASTLANE

8 years ago

Aussies got two girls in the top 10. Pats on back for Jessica Walker 5th and Melissa Gorman 7th. You did us proud girls.