MELISSA GORMAN 15TH IN 10K OPEN WATER

BEIJING, CHINA, August 20: OPEN WATER SWIMMING: Melissa Gorman has caught the Olympic bug and has already set her sights on London in four years time after finishing 15th in the women's 10km open water swim at Shunyi today.

The 23-year-old Queenslander is one of the big improvers in this fledgling Olympic sport.

She came into Beijing ranked well outside the top 20 and she raced for the majority of the final 2.5km lap without her cap after it was torn from her head. IAN HANSON AOC REPORTS...

"That's open water swimming - it is all part of it but it still doesn't make it any easier swimming without a cap," said Gorman after her ordeal.

"It would have been nice to see how I would have gone with my cap in place.

"It was a tough race and I tried to set myself up early by just sitting in the pack.

"It is a very tactical race and I am learning so much."

Gorman, who also contested the 800m freestle in the pool, will now set her sights on London.

"It may be four years away but it is just the beginning for me," Gorman said.

"Experience is the key in this sport and I have only done this seriously for 12 months."

And it was experience which world number one and multi-world champion Larisa Ilchenko used to stave off her opponents to win the first gold medal in the event.

The eight-time world champion over five km (five times) and 10km (three times) timed her finish to perfection.

She edged in front of British pair Keri-Anne Payne and Cassandra Patten who both fought long and hard to collect the silver and bronze.

Gorman finished just behind the Netherlands former world number one and world champion Edith Van Dyke and just ahead of amazing disabled swimmer Natalie du Toit (South Africa).

Ilchenko won in a time of one hour 59 minutes 27.7 seconds from Payne (1:59.29.2) and Patten (1:59.31.0).

Gorman was 65 seconds behind, but under master coach Ken Wood has four years to plot her path to London.