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Dutch swimmer dominates women's 10km open swim before drama ensues

Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands captured gold in convincing fashion Monday in the women's 10-kilometre open water marathon swim at the 2016 Summer Games, but it was a disqualification of the 2015 world champion that was the major news following the race.

French swimmer forfeits silver medal after being DQ'd for unsportsmanlike behaviour

Jonathan Rumley · CBC Sports ·
Olympic swimmers take part in the women's 10-kilometre open water marathon Monday. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images)

By Jonathan Rumley, CBC Sports

Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands captured gold in convincing fashion Monday in the women's 10-kilometre open water marathon swim at the 2016 Summer Games, but it was a disqualification of the 2015 world champion that was the major news following the race.

After an extremely close race for the silver medal, which was won by Aurelie Muller of France, the 26-year-old was disqualified for unsportsmanlike behaviour as officials say she impeded third-place finisher Rachele Bruni of Italy near the finish.

Apparently confused, Muller was about to swim into a white buoy when she tried to cut over and collided with Bruni as the two scrambled to reach for the wall. Video replay appeared to show Muller reaching over Bruni with one of her final strokes and the Italian's leg can be seen coming out of the water at the same time.

"She pushed down my arm," said Bruni, who wound up with silver.

The decision catapulted Brazil's Poliana Okimoto to the podium with a bronze medal despite being the fourth swimmer to reach the finish. 

"This was the best event of my life," Okimoto said after recording the first swimming medal for the host country at Rio 2016. "God is Brazilian," she added.

Four years ago in London, Okimoto was one of two swimmers who had to be pulled from the water in the Olympic marathon event.

Before the drama became apparent, van Rouwendaal — a 22-year-old Dutch distance swimmer — finished the exhausting Olympic course first with a time of one hour, 56 minutes and 32.1 seconds under warm and sunny conditions in Fort Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro.

"I felt so good," van Rouwendaal said. "I swam so easy. I felt no fatigue. After six [kilometres], I changed my mind and thought I should push on."

Bruni, 25, posted a time of 1:56:49.5 seconds while Okimoto, 33, finished less than two seconds after the Italian.

Stephanie Horner of Beaconsfield, Que., was Canada's only competitor in the water Monday. The 27-year-old finished in 23rd place with a time of 1:59:22.1 seconds in her open water swimming Olympic debut.

Horner was displaying her indoor swimming technique with her elbows high as she battled through the tides and currents of the Atlantic Ocean. She kept up with the first group of swimmers approaching the halfway point of the race, but could not maintain the strenuous pace of other long distance competitors.

The Canadian said the rough open water conditions did not play a factor in her result.

"It's the same for everyone and you just got to put your heart and soul into it and like, try to execute as best as you can," Horner told CBC Sports. "I swam with my heart."

The Canadian was the first swimmer to receive a penalty when she was handed a yellow card just five minutes into the race, but no reason was provided on the Rio 2016 website.

Horner previously represented Canada in Beijing (2008) and London (2012) in the pool. 

The men's 10-kilometre race, which will include Richard Weinberger of Surrey, B.C., will be held Tuesday on the same course off the Brazilian coast.

With files from The Associated Press

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