ÖOC duo hope to perform miracles ahead of freestyle in the Seine

No other Olympic athlete in Paris has to wake up as early as the open water swimmers to compete.

The women start their 10km races on Thursday and the men on Friday at 7:30 a.m. There are also two Austrians, Jan Hercog and Felix Obock. But like their fellow competitors, they like to be “early” since the races are taking place on the Seine. Because with all the talk about water quality, that's what they've been training for.

But swimming in the river for nearly two hours is several times longer than it used to be for athletes, and the potential health risks are correspondingly greater. Athletes naturally hope for clean water, but they generally call for competition in the heart of the city. Because choosing the course for the rowing race in Vayres-sur-Marne would bring a completely different race. “Completely flat water with no current, completely different swimmers will be the medal contenders in both races,” said Aubouck.

Sporting director Barr expects an exciting race.

Since open water swimmers have been preparing for this race for three years, swimming the Seine would be fair, says Aubouk. He himself has only been preparing for the competition in the last few days. The pool events were a priority for him, but because of his illness they didn’t work out. He only qualified for the open water race because he had competed in the 800-meter freestyle crawl. Now he feels good again, Aubouk says. He has not set a placement goal.

“A while ago, five years ago, I ran the marathon,” said the European 400m freestyle champion. “If I can stay in front long enough, that will be good for me.” Unlike Hercog, Styrian is specifically aiming for a top-10 finish. At the European Championships in Belgrade in June, he was fastest in the last two rounds, so he is optimistic. “I didn’t come to Paris because I didn’t get a top-10 finish. The training results were better than ever. So it’s definitely within reach.”

(Article continues below video player)

Training on the Seine for the six-lap race that starts at the Pont Alexandre III was not possible on Tuesday due to poor water quality, but it was possible on Wednesday. “The current will also be a big challenge, as you have to swim strategically,” Walter Bahr, sports director at the OSV, told APA. “You can’t swim straight to the buoy because the current will carry you away, or when you swim back you have to find the right choice between the bridges. It will be very exciting.”

Not only the best swimmer can win.

In the qualifying round, 22 participants of each gender bought a ticket, plus nine long-distance swimmers from the men's 50-meter pool. In Hercog's opinion, the Seine should be an advantage for them as a competition venue; they are not used to swimming in rivers. “I see a much better chance in my case than in a duck pond.” He is not the favorite to win the gold medal, but he is hoping for a miracle. “I will give 150 percent. If I collapse at the end, that's okay too. I will do everything I can to win a medal.”

He's not the best swimmer in the field, but he doesn't always win either. “The current and the cold increase our chances of getting a better place,” the 26-year-old also spoke on behalf of Opok. Hercog is also interested in how it's done. He's never swam against him in open water. Hercog wanted to maintain a certain level of cooperation with the Hungarians Krzysztof Rasowski and David Bethlehem, with whom he had trained. “It applies as long as it's appropriate,” Hercog said. Of course, everyone swims primarily for themselves.

The athlete, who trains in Halle an der Saale, explained that he had no difficulty recognizing his competitors in the water. “Nine times out of ten I can tell who is who, who is kicking me and who is behind me. You have to know who is behind you and who is overtaking you for the entire race. That is one of the most important points in open water.” Physical contact with competitors is part of open water swimming.

Hercog: “I must admit that as far as points of sympathy are concerned, the Germans have taken a hit from me more than the Hungarians.”

Olympia 2024: The Biggest Stars to Watch