Mainstone Misses Out
WAIS open water swimmer Rhys Mainstone has missed out on an opportunity to book himself an Olympic Games spot, after finishing outside the top ten in the 10km event at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai.
Surfing a wave of confidence and experience, Beijing Olympian Ky Hurst finished fifth in the men’s 10km open water swim, to qualify himself for selection for the London Olympic Games.
The 30-year-old, who first swam for Australia at the 1998 world championships in Perth where he won a silver medal, used all his open water and ironman experience to position himself well for a strong finish and place in the top 10.
Hurst was just 15m behind gold medallist Spyros Gianniotis from Greece, Thomas Lurz of Germany and Sergey Bolshakov (Rus), while Mainstone finished 30th overall having stayed with main group up until about 1500m to go.
Mainstone will now need to finish in the top two of the Oceania Open Water Championships to earn himself a position for next year’s Olympic Games.
Disappointed not to have won a medal, but still elated with earning qualification for selection to London, the Gold Coast based Hurst said his experience helped him not panic in a tough field.
“I think we worked out that I was the only one in the field who swam in 1998 so I had the experience on my side that’s for sure,” said Hurst.
“It was unfortunate that I didn’t medal but it was good that I placed in the top 10 and to secure a spot for Australia and to get to go to London in 12 months is definitely exciting.”
“First and foremost I wanted a medal and I think I almost swam the perfect race. I had all my feeds down pat and my positioning through the field from start to finish was almost perfect as well.”
Having passed the half way mark in around 20th position and some 40m off the lead, Hurst then began to position himself for a move towards the business end of the race.
“In the first two laps I felt really good. I surged when I needed too and I didn’t panic,” said Hurst.
“When I positioned myself well and moved through the field quite comfortably, that definitely gave me a lot of confidence and there was one stage when I moved up to the top five and did it with ease, I thought I would just back it off a little bit and make sure I had enough for that last lap.”
With less than 500m to go Hurst was a clear contender for a top 10 spot, closing on the leaders as the course funnelled into the finish line stopping the timing system in 5th, the same position he finished at the 2005 and 2007 world championships.
-Swimming Australia