NAPOLI, Italy, September 3. AUSTRALIA’S Josh Santacaterina closed out the FINA Open Water World Championships in grand fashion on Sunday as he claimed victory in the 25-kilometer race. Santacaterina covered the event in 5:47:34.1 to notch a decisive triumph over Russia’s Yuri Kudinov, who was timed in 5:48:56.9.
The bronze medal went to Bulgaria’s Petar Stoychev when he finished in 5:49:00.2 and fourth place was collected by Italy’s Andrea Volpini. Egypt’s Mohamed El Zanaty was fifth and the Netherlands’ Maarten Van den Weijden was sixth. No Americans competed in the 25-kilometer event on the men’s side.
When the Beijing Olympics roll around in 2008, open-water swimming will be part of the program as 10-kilometer races are on the schedule.
Click Here to view event results PDF file