Huitenga and Gubecka seal World Championship selection

 

   

Swimming Australia, May 3, 2015: West Australian Simon Huitenga and Queenslander Chelsea Gubecka have successfully secured a spot on the 2015 FINA World Championship team following the10km open water world cup in Cozumel, Mexico last night.

With a tough international field and both Russia and Rio selection on the line, Huitenga and Gubecka impressed with their results, finishing in eighth and seventh spot respectively.

Barcelona World Championship representative, Huitenga worked his way inside the top ten in the men’s event in Cozumel, hitting the finishing gate in a time of 1:42:15.02 to be the first Aussie home and finish in eighth place overall.

Australian Surf Lifesaving champion George O’Brien was the next best placed Australian, getting the better of Australian Open Water Champion Jarrod Poort to finish 20^th in a time of 1:42:30.00 and successfully qualify for his first World Championship and senior Australian Dolphins Swim team. Wollongong based Poort was 31^st overall in a time of 1:42:57.00.

At just 16-years-of-age, Gubecka will be heading to her second World Championships in Russia after finishing seventh in a time of 1:48.07.00 – just two seconds off a podium finish in the women’s event.

After representing Australia at the Pan Pacific Championships last year, Kareena Lee will this year join the Dolphins and take on the World Championships after finishing 14^th in a time of 1:48:42.00.

Olympian and World Championship representative Mel Gorman was just off the pace touching in a time of 1:51:37.02 for 29^th place.

The open water swimmers will now turn their attention to the World Championships in Kazan, Russia where they will race for the chance to gain Rio Olympic Games selection.

The 2015 FINA World Championships will take place from July 24 to August 9 with information available at http://www.fina.org/H2O/index.php?Itemid=1193

Men’s 10km top three:

Jack Burnell, GBR, 1:42:06.00

Esteban Enderica Sal Gado, ECU, 1:42:10.00

Simone Ruffini, ITA, 1:42:13.00

 

Women’s 10km top three:

Hayley Anderson, USA, 1:48:01.00

Ana Marcela Da Cunha, BRA, 1:48:04.00

Aurora Ponsell, ITA, 1:48:05.00

Swimming Australia is the national sporting organisation which is responsible for the promotion and development of swimming in Australia at all levels. Home of the Australian Swim Team, Swimming Australia is recognised as one of the leaders in Australian sport and has almost 90,000 members and just over 1,000 swimming clubs nationwide. For more information visit www.swimming.org.au  

 

Kathleen Rayment | Media & Public Relations Coordinator | Swimming Australia Ltd
PO Box 3286, Belconnen ACT 2617 | Direct: 02 6219 5623 | M: 0432 915 262 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | www.swimming.org.au

Issued on behalf of Swimming Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager