Northwestern University Athletics
Wilimovsky Takes Silver in the FINA World Championships 10K
7/18/2017 8:14:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
BUDAPEST — Former Northwestern swimmer Jordan Wilimovsky took silver at the 2017 FINA World Championships Open Water 10K Tuesday in Budapest, Hungary, with a time of 1:51:58.6 to give Team USA its first medal at the event.
After winning gold two years ago in Kazan and silver on Tuesday, Wilimovsky is the only American male with multiple medals in the FINA World Championships 10K.
"It was a fun race," said Wilimovsky. "I just tried to stay at the back for the first two laps and then build into it. I probably let myself get a little too far behind. I worked to make my way back up to the front, and I got into a good spot I think heading into the final stretch and I had good position for the sprint. I had a little left at the end, but just got out-touched at the end. I'm happy to get on the podium for the USA."
The Netherlands' Feery Weertman edged Wilimovsky by a tenth of a second, winning gold with a time of 1:51:58.5. Following the first of four laps, Wilimovsky sat in 49th place, 31 seconds off the lead. He made steady progress over the next 5K and moved to sixth place – just 7 seconds behind – heading onto the final 2.5K lap.
Midway through the final lap, Wilimovsky joined Marc-Antoine Olivier (France) at the front of the lead pack. Heading into the final 200-meter straightaway, the three eventual medalists were nearly swimming side-by-side. Weertman out-touched Wilimovsky for gold by just one-tenth of a second, and the entire podium was separated by just by just seven-tenths.
After winning gold two years ago in Kazan and silver on Tuesday, Wilimovsky is the only American male with multiple medals in the FINA World Championships 10K.
"It was a fun race," said Wilimovsky. "I just tried to stay at the back for the first two laps and then build into it. I probably let myself get a little too far behind. I worked to make my way back up to the front, and I got into a good spot I think heading into the final stretch and I had good position for the sprint. I had a little left at the end, but just got out-touched at the end. I'm happy to get on the podium for the USA."
The Netherlands' Feery Weertman edged Wilimovsky by a tenth of a second, winning gold with a time of 1:51:58.5. Following the first of four laps, Wilimovsky sat in 49th place, 31 seconds off the lead. He made steady progress over the next 5K and moved to sixth place – just 7 seconds behind – heading onto the final 2.5K lap.
Midway through the final lap, Wilimovsky joined Marc-Antoine Olivier (France) at the front of the lead pack. Heading into the final 200-meter straightaway, the three eventual medalists were nearly swimming side-by-side. Weertman out-touched Wilimovsky for gold by just one-tenth of a second, and the entire podium was separated by just by just seven-tenths.
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