Russian Larisa Ilchenko wins women's 10km marathon swimming Olympic gold

Russian Larisa Ilchenko wins women's 10km marathon swimming Olympic gold

Larisa Ilchenko of Russia celebrates victory during women's marathon 10km competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games swimming event in Beijing, China, Aug. 20, 2008. Larisa Ilchenko of Russia won the gold medal of the event. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)


BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Larisa Ilchenko proved her dominance in open water event here Wednesday by easily snatching the inaugural 10-kilometer marathon gold at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Ilchenko, who was often seen sitting behind the leaders and making a move in the last kilometer in world championships, repeated the "trick" at the Olympics and successfully took the gold away from British swimmers Cassandra Patten and Keri-Anne Payne.

The two British swimmers led the race shoulder to shoulder during most part of the race with Ilchenko following behind. But the Ilchenko speeded up in the last 400 meter and surpassed the two British to finish the race first in one hour 59 minutes and 27.7 seconds.

Payne finished second in 1:59.29.2 and world championships silver medalist Patten came third in 1:59:31.0.

Ilchenko has dominated open water swimming since 2004, winning five consecutive 5km world championships and three consecutive 10km races. She is known for her ability to win in all water conditions and temperatures.

"It was a tough race. I was trying to convince myself that it was a training test. It took a lot of willpower to convince myself. But I did it," Ilchenko said after the race.

Questioned whether her tactic of coming behind is unfair to other swimmers, Ilchenko said "it doesn't bother me in the least."


Gold medalist Larisa Ilchenko of Russia (C), the runner-up Keri-Anne Payne (L) and bronze winner Cassandra Patten, both of Great Britain, pose on the podium during victory ceremony of women's marathon 10km competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games swimming event in Beijing, China, Aug. 20, 2008. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)


"It's a competition after all and the best athlete wins. How can I just stop and let somebody else win? How can I let other girls take my medal?" said she. "I actually worked as hard as anybody else and I don't think it's a question at all."

British Payne was apparently elated with a silver medal. She was stung in the mouth by a jellyfish while leading the 10km open water event at the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia. She was forced to stop for a gel drink and eventually finished 11th.

"It has not sunk in at all, but I'm so pleased to have a silver medal. I might have a little cry later," she Payne.

But her teammate Patten was in tears when facing the media one hour after the race, seemingly still angry at the confrontation with Germany's Angela Maurer at the conclusion of the race.

"Some things do happen in races and I think a lot of it is unsportsmanlike. But after races emotions can run high. That's all I want to say about it. I don't want to sit and slag anybody else off. At the end of the day I have the medal," she said.

The open-water event is slated to the 2008 Olympic Games for the first time. It is also referred to as a "wrestling match in water" due to the aggressive techniques employed in competing in the sport. Competitors often knock into each other as they fight for position around the marker buoys and at the feeding stations.


Russia's Larisa Ilchenko poses during the victory ceremony women's marathon 10km competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games swimming event in Beijing, China, Aug. 20, 2008. Larisa Ilchenko won the gold medal in the event. (Xinhua/Chen Kai)


"Ten kilometers is a long distance and there are a lot of girls in quite a short distance and in a short space. At the start, you have clashes on and when you are swimming you knock on each other. That does happen, that is the hard part of the race," Patten said.

Ilchenko also complained about the clashes in the race. "It's difficult. I myself had to clash on numerous occasions, especially with the swimmers from Brazil. The last stretch was particularly difficult. I had to via away all the time."

Ilchenko was given a yellow card warning during the race. But she said she didn't know it. "I didn't see I was given a yellow card. Perhaps at the time when I was trying to break away from the two Brazilian swimmers who were quite aggressive, sometimes bordering on being unsportsmanlike. This is swimming after all, not boxing."

The combative and aggressive nature of the open water event has failed quite some superfish in the pool. Australia's "long distance king" Grant Hackett was disqualified when trying to get a berth in the race in Beijing at the 2008 World Championships.

"Even if you are a super star, it doesn't mean anything when it comes to open water," Ilchenko said.

South Africa's Natalie du Toit, the first amputee qualified to swim the 10km open water race at the Olympics, ranked 16th.

"For me this is dream come true. I think I'm a bit upset as I wanted to come in the top five. But I even couldn't get out of the water at the finish, so I've done everything I possible could. I'm glad it's over," she said.

"Hopefully I'll be back for 2012 (London Olympics), where I'll be hoping for a top five place," she said.



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