After the successful triathlon and road cycling test events at Fort Copacabana earlier this month, it was marathon swimming that brought to an end the series of competitions allowing preparations to be fine-tuned at the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games venue. Under a blazing winter sun that generated temperatures of 34 degrees, the men\u2019s and women\u2019s 10km races produced tight contests in sea waters that contrasted sharply in temperature at 18 degrees.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst we delivered operations on the land, with plenty of challenges, now we have done the same with an event that happens in the sea, which presented different types of challenges,\u201d said Bernardo Villano<\/strong>, Rio 2016\u2019s venue manager for the Copacabana zone. \u201cOverall, we can say that the results have been positive. Fort Copacabana is on the right track for the Rio 2016 Games.\u201d <\/p>\n Rio 2016 had 150 people working at its eighth test event \u2013 60 full-time staff and 90 volunteers \u2013 from 33 different departments. The main challenge was also the main focus of testing: the competition area. In a sport that occurs 100 per cent in the sea, the logistics for competition management and media operations had to be delivered amid the variable conditions produced by the tide, wave power and water temperature.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very good to test operations in rough seas, as this made our team more focused and meant they learned more,\u201d said Gustavo Nascimento<\/strong>, Rio 2016\u2019s venue management director.<\/p>\n Rio 2016 sport director Rodrigo Garcia<\/strong> played a lead role in the decision to move the starting platform between Saturday (the men\u2019s race) and Sunday (the women\u2019s race) to provide the best possible conditions for the athletes.<\/p>\n \u201cSaturday was more difficult because of the sea conditions, but the team responded well. We detected some necessary adjustments, but we are on the right track,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n In the water, the events were contested by the same number of swimmers who will compete at the Olympic Games next year: 25 men and 25 women. Brazil\u2019s Allan do Carmo<\/strong>, who has already qualified for the Rio 2016 Games, topped the men\u2019s podium in two hours, three minutes and 53.9 seconds \u2013 0.5 seconds ahead of Japan\u2019s Yasunari Hirai<\/strong>. The bronze medal was won by Canada\u2019s London 2012 bronze medallist Richard Weinberger<\/strong>, who is also already confirmed for Rio 2016, and finished 3.8 seconds behind Do Carmo.<\/p>\n \u201cThis time the competition happened shortly after the world championships, but next year all the swimmers will be in peak condition \u2013 it won\u2019t be two swimmers arriving at the finish together, it will be seven or eight,\u201d said Do Carmo. \u201cI\u2019m sure the beach will be completely full for next year\u2019s competitions, like it was for the 2007 Pan-American Games, and the energy of the fans will help the athletes even more.\u201d<\/p>\n