Chinese swimmer Xin Xin delighted local spectators as she claimed the first ever FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup title for China at the Chun'an Qiandao Lake, in east China's Zhejiang Province, on Sunday.
With a temperature of 25 centigrade and breeze on the Qiandao Lake, swimmers enjoyed the great view and fast performance as Xin Xin, fourth place finisher in the Rio Olympic Games, showed her speed from the last lap and shrugged off all her rivals to win the women's group in a time of two hours 05 minutes 55.8 seconds.
Cecilia Biagioli of Argentina snatched the silver medal in 2:06.37.1 and Arianna Bridi, Italy, champion at the last stop in Canada, came third in 2:06:37.7.
Xin, fresh from her victory at the Asian Beach Games two weeks ago in Vietnam, said she tried to save her energy during most of the race.
"I am very happy to be the first Chinese swimmer to win a World Cup race held in my country. In fact, I expected to win before the race. I feel proud of myself and our Chinese swimmers as a whole. However, I am still inexperienced in open water since I started to swim the in the race just three years ago," Xin said.
"Right now, I compete in both swimming and open water and I enjoy both of them. It is different to swim in the open water with breeze and beautiful view. I am trying to get more experience by competing more races. I hope I can swim well in the next stop in Hong Kong," said Xin, who turns 20 years old next month.
In the men's race, Italy's Simone Ruffini burst out in the last 400 meters to win the title in 1:56.01.3. German Andreas Waschburger, winner of the last stop in Canada and front runner before the finish, was second in 1:56:02.9 and Allan Do Carmo of Brazil third in 1:56:05.6.
"I am very happy and satisfied with the victory. It is my first time to race World Cup in China and win here. I felt comfortable with the venue, the Lake and the weather. Everything is perfect. I only started to swim faster and harder from the last lap. I changed the rate of my swim from the last two floats. I went out of the group and went to the front. It is an easy game, I think," Ruffini said.
A total of 53 swimmers, 29 men and 24 women, from 11 countries and regions competed in the sixth leg of the World Cup in Chun'an.
The next and final leg of the 2016 FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup will take place in Hong Kong on Oct. 15.
