Domenico Acerenza And Angela Martinez Guillen Triumph At European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Cup
Domenico Acerenza and Angela Martinez Guillen won the men’s and women’s titles respectively at the first leg of the European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Cup in Piombino, Italy.
Acerenza came through late on to overhaul French pair Sacha Velly and Marc-Antoine Olivier and take the touch in a sprint finish in 1hr 46 mins 54.1secs.
Velly was second in 1:46:54.6 ahead of teammate Olivier who clocked 1:46:54.8.
l-r: Ginevra Taddeuci, Angela Martinez Guillen, Caroline Jouisse: Photo courtesy: European Aquatics
Martinez Guillen executed a superb final lap, picking off her rivals and going past leading duo Ginevra Taddeuci and Maria De Valdes Alvarez before going to the head of the field to claim victory in 1:56:37.8.
Italian Taddeuci touched the board in 1:56.39.4 with Caroline Jouisse claiming a third podium spot of the day for France in 1:56:40.3 and Olympic champion Ana Marcela Cunha next home in 1:56:42.3.
Acerenza had been in the top three throughout the race but it was Velly though who ramped up the pace on the fifth and penultimate lap, making his move and even briefly did a little backstroke to check out what was happening around him.
The 19-year-old led going into the final lap and pushed the tempo to move more than a body-length ahead of Olivier and Acerenza.
His teammate pulled alongside as the pair went stroke for stroke only for Acerenza to make his move on the outside coming into the final shoot, ultimately getting his hand to the board first.
Acerenza will compete in the open water at Paris 2024 alongside Italian teammate Gregorio Paltrinieri who didn’t take to the water in Piombino.
Taddeuci was in the lead going into the final lap and looked powerful in the latter stages at the head of the field.
Valdes Alvarez drew up alongside the Italian with the pair going stroke for stroke and even coming together.
The pack was tightly bunched with Martinez Guillen timing her strike for home perfectly to make her way through and head the field into the finishing shoot for victory.