Olympics, swimming. Bruni disappointment in the 10 km: only 14th

From our correspondent Stefano Arcobelli

August 4
– Tokyo

Rachele Bruni drops from the Olympic podium 5 years ago and finishes only in 14th place, 2’39 “4 behind. The 10 km goes to the Brazilian Ana Marcela Cunha at the photo finish on the outgoing Olympic champion Sharon Van Rouwendaal, bronze to the Australian Karena Lee, Hungarian Anna Olasz under the podium. The blue probably suffers from the heat and in the end she loses the train of the best. The Brazilian had been third in Rio, where Rachele, 30 years old from Tuscany, had obtained the silver behind the ‘Dutch. A race that is prohibitive for the conditions. The Tokyo bay is suggestive, between skyscrapers and bridges in the background, inside the water is boiling (almost 30 degrees, like the air temperature). The caimans have to repeat 7 laps of just over 1,400 meters.

The race

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Bruni’s choice to start slow is also “shared” by other big names such as the Dutch Olympian Sharon Van Rowendaal but not the Olympic bronze medalist in Rio, the Brazilian Ana Marcela Cunha, the German Leonie Beck and the French Lara Grangeon, all swimmers who come from the pool. After 2 km Rachele is at 20 “, gap reduced to 12” one kilometer later. Starting at a great pace is the American Ashley Twickell. The 4 km group gets longer: the blue is joined by the world champion, the first Chinese Xin Xin. At the 4th kilometer, the Cunha takes command of operations. Halfway through the race the blue is ninth at 8 “, together with the Dutch and the London medalist, the other American in the race Haley Anderson, while other dangerous opponents emerge such as the Hungarian Anna Olasz and the other German Finnia Wunram . Rachele is alone against everyone. The positions fluctuate also due to the supplies and towards the six kilometers the blue returns to 13 “, a position on which she remains up to seven kilometers, when no one manages to wriggle out of the trap. The Twickell is the one who spends the most cycles of strokes per minute (45) and also for this reason she travels in the lead.

The turning point

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At 8 km, the German Beck takes command of operations, forcing the pace to increase the advantage. It is the moment of selection, of the decisive tear. The Rio Olympian, Sharon, as everyone calls her, gets busy: mighty and now stationed in Magdeburg after winning everything with Frenchman Philipe Lucas. Rachele is 14th but above all she complains of a 26 “gap. The Chinese gets a yellow card while the bell rings on the last lap. The finish line is at 1500 meters and in eight, without the Bruni, they are enclosed in 10”. Tuscany breaks away irretrievably, the Australian Karena Lee appears. Rachel is not there. It is not a blue dawn. “I couldn’t follow the best ones, I’m sorry, I don’t know what could have happened but I don’t want to make excuses”, her tearful words.