Abu Dhabi: Jack Burnell and Aurelie Muller helped compensate for their Olympic heartbreak after they triumphed in a sprint finish in their respective races at the FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup in Abu Dhabi at the weekend.
Both swimmers were disqualified from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro — Burnell for two yellow cards in the men’s race, while Muller was adjudged to have obstructed Rachele Bruni and subsequently stripped of her silver medal in the women’s equivalent.
Burnell, of Great Britain, had been critical of the decision but vowed to prove he was the world’s best and he returned to competition at the Emirates Palace course to overhaul his rivals and touch in one hour, 45 minutes and 54.6 seconds.
Olympic champion Ferry Weertman, of the Netherlands, made a late charge through the field to finish second, with Frenchman David Aubry third.
“At the end of the day, it’s ticking that box and getting the first one under my belt since Rio,” said Burnell. “I am out here to win every single race I go into; I am not out here to come second, third or fourth.
“So for me, it’s about turning up to races in the best possible shape I can and showing people what I can do.”
Frenchwoman Muller had been similarly distraught after Rio, and she too triumphed in a blanket finish to overhaul long-time leader and Olympic champion Sharon van Rouwendaal to win in 1hr 52mins 35.3secs, with Italian Arianna Bridi in third.
Muller said: “It was good, very good, I was first. It was difficult for me after Rio so now is my first 10k after seven months and my goal before the race was top eight because it was the pre-qualification for the French team [for the World Championships in Budapest], so I am first and I am very, very happy. It was a great race here.”
Emirates Palace provided a stunning backdrop for the race. The luxury hotel, located on 1.3km of private beach, also hosted the Abu Dhabi Swimming Festival in the morning.
Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the organisers along with the Professional Sports Group, said: “I would like to congratulate the winners and all the competitors who took part in the FINA/Hosa 10km Swimming Marathon. We were delighted to host this wonderful event for the third time and at the Emirates Palace for the first time, which provided a stunning backdrop. The event was preceded by the Abu Dhabi Swimming Festival, where we were pleased to see over 700 swimmers take part in the community mass participation event.
“The success of both events helps enhance our reputation as a global capital for sport.”
Bill Ford, a member of the Technical Open Water Swimming Committee of FINA, added: “We would like to thank the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the UAE Swimming Federation for hosting this race. We are always happy to be present in Abu Dhabi, where there is top-level organisation and a wonderful experience always awaits swimmers in this culturally rich city.”
The third leg of the FINA/HOSA 10km Swimming Marathon World Cup is in Setubal, Portugal, on June 24.
Remaining dates on the FINA/HOSA 10km Calendar: June 24: Setubal (Portugal); July 27: Lac St Jean (Canada); August 12: Lac Megantic (Canada); October 15: Chun’An (China); October 21: Hong Kong.
