Mainstone Bounces Back for Sixth in 5km Swim
WAIS swimmer Rhys Mainstone has finished a courageous sixth at the 2010 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships in Canada in the 5km event, just days after bouncing back from hypothermia.
20-year-old Mainstone, who was a silver medallist in the 10km at last year’s Junior Pan Pacs in Guam, finished sixth in the men’s 5km in a time of 57:51.60.
Mainstone, who finished fourth at the FINA World Cup in the UAE last year and was the national champion over 10km this year, recovered well from having to pull out of the 10km on Monday due the cold, with German open water superstar Thomas Lurz winning the race in 57.42.60.
National coach Greg Towle was impressed by Mainstone’s battling qualities in Canada.
“Rhys got knocked around in the pack a bit, about halfway into the race, but fought hard to work his way back in and finish less than 10 seconds behind the winner,” said Towle.
Mainstone’s WAIS Coach Matt Magee was upbeat following the race saying “The cold waters of Roberval, proved no match second-time round for Rhys, who started well only to lose touch with the leaders at the first bouywith a technical difficulty (faulty goggles).Withina secondhefound himself off the back of the main pack and was fightingto hold on to 25th place,” Magee said.
“He then produced a courageous and energy-sapping effort to claw his wayback through the pack and into contention, a task that took all but the final few metres of the race. It was a great effort from Rice Burner,” Magee concluded.
In the women’s event, Melissa Gorman, who crossed the line in third place in the women’s 10km event on Sunday but was later disqualified during an appeal by the French team, will now be awarded with the medal after FINA ruled that an open water swimmer can only be disqualified by a Referee and not during a process of appeal.
In transit on her way back to Australia, Gorman was notified of the decision by Swimming Australia Open Water Head Coach Greg Towle.
“Mel swam a great race, and it’s pleasing to see that this will now be rewarded with a bronze medal,” said Towle.
“She won a world championship over 5km last year and is now a bronze medallist over the Olympic distance of 10km. Things are certainly shaping up well for London.”
Blacktown’s Andrew Beato was 20th overall in 58:03.60.
In the women’s 5km the teenage Gold Coast pairing of Danielle De Francesco and Bonnie MacDonald, who are coached by Dennis Cotterell, finished 18th and 20th respectively. In an encouraging performance for the two young swimmers, both girls finished within 40 seconds of winner Eva Fabian from the USA.
– With Swimming Australia