Swimming World Championships – Cross-country, gold 10 km at Van Rouwendaal. Gabbrielleschi 14th

From our correspondent Stefano Arcobelli

June 29
– Budapest (Ung)

The gold of the 10 km world championship in Budapest goes to Sharon Van Rouwendaal, the Dutch who now trains in Germany, sprinting, touching the German Leoni Beck and the Brazilian Ana Marcela Cunha. Two medals out of three are signed by the Olympic champions: Giulia Gabbrielleschi is 14th and Rachele Bruni, 18th. The 10 km has been an Olympic specialty since 2008, in 2012 Italy in pink celebrated the first podium with the bronze of Martina Grimaldi at Hyde Park, improved by Rachele Bruni with the silver of Copacabana. And Bruni is outgoing bronze while Arianna Bridi in Hungary was bronze (she is now stopped due to heart problems). In the past, Italy won gold in 2003, and Grimaldi in 2011, silver arrived in 2005 with Federica Vitale and Giorgia Consiglio in 2011. In total, 8 medals in the specialty are part of the tricolor loot. And there is a good part of the female history of the blue caimans.

Half race

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At the refueling of 4 km after almost 40 minutes, the Hungarian Anna Olasz commands the operations, among the most active with the Brazilian Cunha (Olympian in Tokyo and highly decorated, gold also in the 5 km) and Jungblut, the German Boy, and the Rio Olympian, Dutchman Sharon Van Rouwendaal. The French Aurelie Muller also shows up, unlocked with silver in the 5 km. Giulia Gabrielleschi and Rachele Bruni are in the leading group and take turns: second and fourth in 3 ”. Halfway through the race, she passes in front of Muller, with Gabbrielleschi eighth at 4 “: she travels in a group, it is not yet the time for the snags. At 5.5 km the American Katie Grimes comes out of the podiums in the swimming pool, but it is Gabrielleschi (39 strokes per minute) who follows her along with Cunha and Bruni (at 3 “), who at 6 km is second behind the prodigious sixteen year old American, silver in 1500 and 400 medley. The first 10 are in 7 seconds, the changes in command are continuous even at 6 and a half kilometers. After another thousand meters the positions are outlined a bit: with Muller and Grimes pursued by the two very active and courageous blue to squeeze in three quarters of the race. At 8.2 km, the Van Rouwendaal accelerates powerfully, chased by Cunha and the German Leoni Beck (frequencies at 43), Gabbrielleschi at 2 “and Bruni at 9”. First turn. At 8.8 km, Gabbrielleschi is 7a and Bruni 12a with a gap of 6 “and 15”.

The end

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The last kilometer, the most difficult, is that of truth in the hot Lupa Lake. At 900 meters from the end, the Beck leads, Gabbrielleschi is at 7 “, Bruni at 14” is inside the trap. The group stretches out in line, there is a fight and after 2 hours of strokes all are in reserve. The right trail is that of Beck but to win progressively, in the rush inside the funnel is Sharon Van Rouwendaal, queen of Rio, who triumphs in 2h02’29 “2 for 5 cents over the German Leonie Beck, who brings a medal back to Germany after Angela Maurer’s bronze in 2013. Gabbrielleschi is 14th at 23 ”, Bruni is 18th at 48” 1.

Blue words

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Rachele Bruni’s tears, if she thinks back that the gold belongs to the Dutch one, Sharon as everyone calls her, the only one who beat her in Rio, in that Brazil where she trained (in Porto Alegre). And Giulia Gabbrielleschi’s bitterness, who brings her home two medals (bronze in relay, bronze in 5 km): Lombardi’s pupil said that this experience will serve her, in perspective. Also for the management of the race in these scorching temperatures. Bruni comments: “It was a tight race from the very beginning, I tried to stay with the leaders but in the end I found myself bottled up and I slipped away. I am happy because for me it is a return after the fourteenth Olympic place more than two minutes from the winner – explains the thirty-two-year-old Florentine of Fiamme Oro and Aurelia -. Since last November when I changed everything and moved to Brazil I have not competed anymore. Coming back here was tough, I completely changed my life; I know that no one gives me anything and I have to work to get back to the top. I’m not worth these positions, but compared to Tokyo I have reduced the time gap and I’m ready to start over ”. Gabbrielleschi adds: “My inexperience on a world level made me mistake tactics. I made a couple of race management mistakes and paid for them. I remained bottled up in the group and tried to go back up but in the end I paid for my fatigue. A little ‘the increase in the pace of the strongest, a little’ the heat blow did the rest. Mine is a dream world championship, I come back enriched from all points of view. Of course this is not a result that satisfies me, but I have learned to know myself better after this experience and I will do my best for the European Championships in Ostia ”.