Gold fever trumps health fears in Rio marathon swimming
Rio de Janeiro Olympics open water swimming in five points:
+ Visions of gold will trump health concerns when hardy open-water swimmers dive into the dodgy waters off Copacabana on Monday in the women's Olympic 10km swimming marathon, with the men to follow on Tuesday. Rampant pollution at Rio's beach venues -- not to mention pounding surf and wind that washed away the starting platform on Saturday -- are being taken in stride by the world's best in a sport where hazards can range from sharks to jellyfish -- or just an untimely elbow thrown by an opponent seeking to gain an advantage rounding a course-marking buoy.
"Since I began marathon swimming I have had my fair share of dirty water," said Australian Chelsea Gubecka. "It doesn't faze me too much as I enjoy a challenge."
Gubecka takes a few precautions, saying staying hydrated helps prevent illness and a post-race swish of mouthwash combats bacteria in the throat.
+ Spirits could be lifted at the troubled venue right away if either Ana Marcela Cunha and Poliana Okimoto can deliver gold for Brazil. Okimoto and Cunha finished one-two in the 10K at the 2013 world championships, and Cunha won 10km world championships bronze in Russia last year -- where she won 25km gold and helped Brazil to team silver.
+ The original Olympic swimming competition in 1896 was held in the frigid Bay of Zea and the first three editions of the modern Games featured swimming held in natural bodies of water. But after competition moved to the pool in 1908 it would be a century until open water events returned to the Olympic programme at Beijing in 2008.
+ Spiros Gianniotis of Greece and Erwin Maldonado of Venezuela are slated to keep their pefect attendance record complete in the Olympic men's 10km as they compete for a third straight Games.
+ US-based Tunisian Ous Mellouli is set to defend the 10km gold he won in London, where he also claimed 1,500m bronze in the pool. Mellouli, competing in his fifth Games, has made the jump to Open water after his upset victory in the 1,500m freestyle in Beijing in 2008 made him the the first man from Africa to win an individual Olympic swimming gold. Challenger Jordan Wilimovsky warmed up for his marathon bid with a fourth-placed finish in the 1,500m free.