TRENT ON TRACK FOR LONDON OPEN WATER TITLE

Ostia Beach, Italy, July 25: Queensland's latest distance swimming star Trent Grimsey has emerged as Australia's latest Olympic hopeful following a spectacular silver medal winning debut over 25 kilometres on the final day of the three-day open water competition at Ostia Beach, south-east of Rome on Saturday.

The 21-year-old from Albany Creek produced the swim of his life in an exciting duel with Italy's Valerio Cleri in front of over 5000 people, who packed the foreshores in a perfect summer's day.

It topped off a successful campaign for the Australian team, following Melissa Gorman's gold medal winning swim in the women's five kilometres on the opening day's competition.

Grimsey only entered the event because there was a "spare spot" after 2004 World Champion Brendan Capell was the only swimmer to qualify at the Australian Championships.

With just three kilometres to swim it was Cleri who cleared out and Grimsey, who had finished 16^th and eighth in the five and 10 kilometre events, went with him,

The break was the deciding factor in the race and for the next two-and-half kilometres the pair went stroke for stroke in a monumental battle royal, which had the Italian fans going delirious on the beach.

Grimsey, swimming in his first ever 25km event, set the field a merry chase from the first of 10 two-and-a-half kilometre laps in the millpond conditions, with an occasional wave emerging to keep the fields on their toes.

The John Rodgers trained swimmer set his own course, leaving 2004 champion, fellow Queenslander Brendan Capell to help steer the pack on a separate route.

Grimsey was happy to swim his own race but it seemed only a matter of time before the pack, working together would reel Grimsey in.

On the second lap both Grimsey and the pack appeared to become disorientated and came back in together, with Grimsey happy to settle into the main group.

Swimmers had to negotiate half-metre waves breaking on a small sandbank on the northern end of the course.

It proved foreign for some of the European countries who stood up, unsure whether to push through the waves, some standing up, throwing their hands in the air but for the Italians and the Australians, they plowed through, ducking under what was a tricky situation.

Grimsey admitted the early tactic may well have cost him over the final 400 metres.

"I took a lot out the five kilometre race for the 10 kilometres and also took things from the 10 into the 25 which helped me a lot," said Grimsey.

"Everyone kept saying ‘conserve, conserve, conserve' and that's what I tried to do and when the Italian decided to go I knew I had to go with him in the second last lap.

"I just couldn't match him over the last 400 metres - that was the difference."

Grimsey must now be a real chance to make the 2012 London Olympics and he will make his charge for selection over 1500m and the 10km.

In the end just 19 second separated the pair, with Cleri, who was fourth in the 10km event, finishing in 5 hours 26 minutes 31.6 seconds and Grimsey (5:26.50.7) and Russian Vladimir Dyatchin taking th bronze in 5:29.29.3

Capell, who has a gold (2004) and a silver (2005) in 25km events, finished seventh in another solid performance after being isolated for three days in the team camp this week with a virus.

There were some dramatic scenes in the women's event, won by Germany's Angela Maurer (5:47.48.0) from Russian Anna Uvarova (5:47.51.9) and Italy's Federica Vitale (5a:47.52.7), with Australia's Kate Brookes-Peterson hauled from the water suffering from dehydration and exhaustion after 15.5 kilometres.

After being kept in observation for 30 minutes she was allowed to re-join her team mates.

At the end of the women's race, Australia's long-standing 25km swimmer, Shelley Clark, collapsed on the water's edge, also struggling to breathe.

She too was transported to the medical tent and allowed to leave after 20 minutes.

Clark finished 13^th in 6:07.31.7.
 

25k MEN
1 Valerio Cleri	ITA	5:26:31.6
2 Trent Grimsey	AUS	5:26:50.7
3 Vladimir Dyatchin	RUS	5:29:29.3
4 Brian Ryckeman	BEL	5:30:18.4
5 Loic Branda	FRA	5:30:20.9
6 Bertrand Venturi	FRA	5:30:22.9
7 Brendan Capell	AUS	5:30:27.5
8 Rostislav Vitek	CZE	5:32:38.8

 

 

25k WOMEN
1 Angela Maurer	GER	5:47:48.0
2 Anna Uvarova	RUS	5:47:51.9
3 Federica Vitale	ITA	5:47:52.7
4 Margarita Dominguez	ESP	5:48:37.6
5 Celia Barrot	FRA	5:49:00.7
6 Linsy Heister	NED	5:49:08.1
7 Martina Grimaldi	ITA	5:49:36.7
8 Stefanie Biller	GER	5:50:08.8
13 Shelley Clark	AUS	6:07:31.7
Kate Brookes Peterson	AUS	DNF