Open water program at swimming world championships gets started after two delays

SINGAPORE (AP) — Open water competition at the World Swimming Championships went off Wednesday after two postponements because of water-quality problems at Sentosa, the island area on the coast.

Florian Wellbrock of Germany won the men’s 10-kilometer race in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 55.50 seconds. Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy was almost four seconds behind in second place and Kyle Lee of Australia was third in 2:00.10.30.

Wellbrock took gold in the Tokyo Olympics in the 10-kilometer race and was the bronze medalist there at 1,500 meters in the pool. This is his eighth gold in world championship events.

Moesha Johnson of Australia won the women’s 10-kilometer race in 2:07.51.30. Ginevra Taddeucci of Italy took silver in 2:07.55.70, with bronze for Lisa Pou of Monaco in 2:07.57.50.

Johnson was the silver medalist in this event a year ago at the Paris Olympics. She also took gold in the 2024 Doha worlds and was the bronze medalist two years ago in Fukuoka, Japan.

Swimmers compete in the men’s 10km open water swim at the world swimming championships in Singapore, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

The open water swimming program had been initially scheduled to open on Tuesday.

Event organizers said water-quality samples taken on Tuesday afternoon showed “a significant improvement with levels of E. coli falling between the ranges of good and excellent” in regulations set by the governing body World Aquatics.

The Mayo Clinic says that “E. coli bacteria normally live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. Most types of E. coli are harmless or cause relatively brief diarrhea.”

It said a few strains can cause “severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting.” Exposure is often from contaminated water that may contain human and animal waste.

The open water events in the Seine River in last year’s Paris Olympics were a constant cause of concern. The Tokyo Olympics also had problems in 2021 because of warm water in a shallow bay, and related pollution issues.

Competitors stop for drinks during the men’s 10km open water swim at the world swimming championships in Singapore, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Water pollution was a major problem in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where pollution levels were often high on Copacabana Beach, the venue for distance swimming, and in Guanabara Bay, the venue for sailing.

Other open water races in Singapore are set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Water polo competition at the worlds is underway at an indoor venue.

The main event of the championships is eight days of swimming competition in the pool, which opens on July 27.