Rate it!

0 votes

Britain's Keri-Anne Payne led virtually from start to finish to take gold in the women's 10 kilometre open water race at the World Championships in Rome.

Payne led virtually from start to finish to secure Britain's second gold in two days after 15-year-old Tom Daley became his country's first individual world diving champion on Tuesday in the men's 10m platform.

She repelled a challenge from the chasing pack in the closing stages to power home in two hours one minute and 37.1 seconds, ahead of Russia's Ekatarina Seliverstova and Italy's Martina Grimaldi.

The 21-year-old, a silver medallist at the Beijing Olympics last year, also recovered after briefly surrendering the lead to Spain's Yurema Juarez Requena around the hour mark in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Russia's Olympic and eight-times world champion Larisa Ilchenko, who had to settle for silver in the 5km on Tuesday after coming behind Australia's Melissa Gorman in a photo finish, retired with an injury to her left leg just after half way.

"I was really nervous this morning, but also very focused," Payne said. "I knew the girls who competed yesterday (in the 5km) were more tired, so I was more confident.

"I didn't want to lose energy fighting in the pack. I was always in the lead, following the boat. I will compete in the 200m individual medley in the pool next Sunday, so now I just want to recover and rest."

The open water competitions at the Rome showpiece had to be rescheduled after storms battered the beach facilities.

Germany's Thomas Lurz charged to victory in the men's 10km to complete an open water double at the World Championships.

Lurz pulled away in the closing stages to finish in 1:52.06s on the waters at the Ostia beach resort near Rome to claim his eighth career world title after he won the 5km on Tuesday and his third at 10km, following triumphs in 2004 and 2006.

Andrew Gemmell of the United States was second and his compatriot Francis Crippen finished third, although his bronze medal is in doubt as he appeared to miss the gate to the finishing straight.

"I'm very proud to be double world champion," Lurz said. "It was a great joy to win the first gold, but the second is a real achievement. Obviously, it couldn't have finished better."

Italy's Simone Ercoli was taken on a stretcher to an ambulance at the end of the race, apparently suffering from exhaustion.

World Championship Diving Men's 3m Semi-Finals LIVE at 5:15pm on Wednesday on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin Media 521); Also available on your PC via the Eurosport Player - click on the link under the picture to subscribe.

Reuters