French Strike Gold Again As Reymond Tops Men’s 25k Field

2017 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS – OPEN WATER

• July 15 – July 21
• Lake Balaton, Hungary
• Meet Central
• Full Schedule
• Men’s 25k Results

The magical run in open water continued for the French on the final day of action from Lake Balaton, as Axel Reymond edged Italy’s Matteo Furlan for gold in the men’s 25k event.

Reymond was at the front of the race throughout, and Furlan gradually made his way through the pack to find himself in a sprint for gold with Reymond at the end. Reymond took the gold by just six tenths of a second, touching in 5:02:46.40 to Furlans’ 5:02:47.00.

Reymond’s gold adds to the wins from Aurelie Muller in the women’s 10k, Marc-Antoine Olivier in the men’s 5k, and their gold in the 5k team event yesterday. Along with those four golds they also have a silver and a bronze from Muller in the 5k and Olivier in the 10k, making them 6-for-6 in medals prior to the conclusion of the women’s 25k.

Reymond has one two consecutive 25k titles at the European Championships, but this is his first World Championship medal. Two years ago in Kazan he was 4th, but was well over a minute outside of a medal. Finishing directly ahead of him in that race was Furlan, who moves one step up the podium after his bronze in Kazan.

34-year-old Evgenii Drattcev of Russia, who has four World Championship medals over his long career including a bronze in this event from 2013, won bronze again for his 5th career medal in a time of 5:02:49.80.

Defending champ Simone Ruffini was just behind for 4th in 5:02:53.10, and then there was a large gap to 5th place where American Chip Peterson (5:03:43.00) came in. Following him was Hungary’s Gergely Gyurta, who’s known for competing in the distance events in the pool and will be in action next week at the Danube Arena in the 800 free and 400 IM.

Three swimmers did not finish: American Simon Lamar, Hungarian Olympian Kristof Rasovszky, and France’s Logan Fontaine, who was among the four that won gold yesterday in the team event.

Men’s 25km Final Results

1. Axel Reymond, FRA, 5:02:46.40
2. Matteo Furlan, ITA, 5:02:47.00
3. Evgenii Drattcev, RUS, 5:02:49.80
4. Simone Ruffini, ITA, 5:02:53.10
5. Chip Peterson, USA, 5:03:43.00
6. Gergely Gyurta, HUN, 5:04:00.70
7. Vitaliy Khudyakov, KAZ, 5:04:36.10
8. Sergey Bolshakov, RUS, 5:04:49.80
9. Marcel Schouten, NED, 5:04:53.00
10. Andreas Waschburger, GER, 5:06:14.10