Open water marathons

History

If swimming is a thousand year old activity, swimming long distances in rivers or the open sea is a challenge that started becoming more popular at around 1875, when an English Captain called Matthew Webb achieved a great feat. He was the first man to swim across the English Channel. Using the breaststroke technique, Webb had already had a failed attempt on 12 August. However, on 24 August, he completed the 64 kilometre stretch, after an exhausting 21 hours and 45 minutes.

The feat inspired a number of swimmers, who started to swim across the English Channel, as well as other places in the planet. Little by little, open water competitions became popular and in 2005, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the 10km marathon would be included in the Olympic programme. Indeed, the first Olympic competition was held in Beijing in 2008. The men’s marathon was won by Maarten van der Weijden from the Netherlands. In London 2012, Oussama Mellouli from Tunisia scooped up the gold. Amongst the ladies, Eva Risztov from Hungary shined.

Curiosities

Thousand year old activity

Despite only being included as an Olympic sport since the 2008 Games in Beijing, there is evidence that shows that open water swimming competitions have been held for around 2 thousand years.

The current lent a hand

In the Paris Olympics in 1900, the swimming events were held in the River Seine and swimmers swam with the current behind them. Therefore, athletes swam their events in low times. For example, the winner of the 200m freestyle in 1900, Australian swimmer Frederick Lane, finished the event in 2:25.02, while the winner of the same event at the 1904 Games in St. Louis, needed 2:44.02.