Alice Franco secures Women’s 25km Open Water gold title: European Open Water Swimming Championships
Alice Franco of Italy captured the gold medal of Women’s 25km Open Water event on day four of the 2011 European Open Water Swimming Championships, on September 11, in Eilat, Israel.
Franco occupied the gold medal of the Women’s 25km swim by reporting in a top ranked time of 5 hours, 26 minutes and 23.6 seconds. She easily overwhelmed the efforts of her closest competitor, Margarita Dominguez of Spain, who remained 19.1 seconds slower
than Franco and appeared on the podium for the silver medal by posting a time of 5 hours, 26 minutes and 42.7 seconds. Dominguez was trailed by Jana Pechanová of Czech Republic, who remained 1.5 seconds slower than her and stepped on the victory stand for
bronze medal with a timing of 5 hours, 26 minutes and 44.2 seconds.
The Italian champion gained a lead of 1.8 seconds over her rival, Dominguez, by posting a time of 36 minutes and 19.8 seconds as compared to Dominguez’s effort of 36 minutes and 21.6 seconds. Subsequently, Franco extended her lead to almost four seconds
in the second lap, while the lead was strengthened to nearly 11 seconds in the third lap.
In the fourth lap, Dominguez geared up her swim and lessened her lead to only 2.3 seconds, as Franco posted 2:37:52.6 hours in contrast to Dominguez’s effort of 2:37:50.9 hours. In the fifth lap, the Spanish swimmer earned a lead of almost two seconds over
Franco, while the tables turned in the sixth lap, where Franco once again gained a lead of 4.2 seconds over Dominguez. Nevertheless, Franco sprinted her way to the finishing line in the seventh lap, staying comfortably away from Dominguez and obtaining the
gold medal of the event.
The fourth position was obtained by Anna Uvarova of Russia, who clocked a time of 5 hours, 26 minutes and 45.1 seconds. She was followed by Maria Bulakhova of Russia, as she reported in a time of 5 hours, 26 minutes and 47.4 seconds for fifth position.
Daniela Pinto of Portugal surfaced as the sixth position holder of the event by producing a time of 5 hours, 26 minutes and 50.0 seconds. Moments later, Celia Barrot of France earned seventh finishing spot, with a timing of 5 hours, 27 minutes and 35.1 seconds.
Likewise, eighth position was secured by Silvie Rybarova of Czech Republic as she crossed the finishing line in a time of 5 hours, 27 minutes and 51.7 seconds.
The championship concluded after the completion of all Open Water swimming events, while the winners collected their medals after the event.
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