8/9 May 2010 – Eilat
Britain’s swimmers dominated the 10km event at the LEN Open Water Cup in Israel with World Champion and Olympic medallist Keri-Anne Payne taking gold in the women’s event and team mate Dan Fogg winning the men’s race.
Olympic medallist Cassie Patten also swam into the medals following Payne all the way to the finish for the silver medal at the Royal Beach in Eilat.
With the two fastest male and female British athletes from the LEN Open Water Cup qualifying for this summer’s FINA World Championships, it was Tom Allen with a sixth place finish overall who picked up the final British place.
In the women’s event Payne finished in 1.56.16 with Patten in 1.56.27 and Emma Graham was the highest placed junior in sixth in 1.58.43. In the men’s event Fogg touched in 1.50.46 just ahead of silver and bronze while Allen came home in 1.50.53.
Mark Perry, Team Leader of the British Open Water Swimming Team, powered by British Gas, was delighted with the squad’s first outing of the open water season where the athletes had to contend with temperatures of 40C.
“Payne and Patten completely dominated the women’s event from start to finish and showed their class and experience over a fantastic course,” said Perry.
“Fogg’s victory was impressive as he showed all the experience he’s gained over the last two years. He swam his own race and on the last lap made his break and made it stick.”
The British Open Water Swimming team, powered by British Gas, consists of:
Emma Graham – City of Leeds
Eleanor Faulkner – City of Sheffield
Ann Morris – Nova Centurion
Cassandra Patten – British Gas ITC Stockport
Keri-Anne Payne – British Gas ITC Stockport
Jessica Thielmann – City of Newcastle
Aimee Willmott – Middlesbrough
Thomas Allen – British Gas ITC Swansea
Jack Burnell – Lincoln Vulcans
Martin Cremin – Stirling Swimming
Daniel Fogg – British Gas ITC Loughborough
Matthew Johnson – City of Sheffield
Daniel Mills – Nova Centurion
Thomas Sunter – City of Sheffield