English open water swimmers Keri-anne Payne and Danielle Huskisson are set to race for Olympic selection on Saturday 11 June, as they compete in the FINA Marathon Swimming Olympic Games Qualification Tournament 10km race at Setubal in Portugal.
Watch the 10km women’s Race live.
Payne (Warrender), who claimed 10km Olympic silver at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and Huskisson (University of Stirling) will both be aiming for a top nine finish to qualify, with only the first Brit across the line in the first nine finishers open for consideration for a place in Rio.
“I’m hoping obviously to make Rio; that’s my ultimate dream,” Huskisson told Nick Hope TV. “It means the absolute world to make it on to that team, so I’m just going to go and give it everything I’ve got.”
British Swimming Marathon Lead Bernie Dietzig added: “It’s obviously a very important event as it is the last chance for athletes around the globe to qualify for this summer’s Olympic Games. It will be a big field of over 50 athletes and every one of them will have the same game plan, which is to make the top nine finishers to put themselves in contention for Rio. It’s a demanding and difficult course where the athletes will be required to take the right lines and swim it technically well.”
The course on the River Sade will consist of six laps of just over 1.6km each with athletes contending with cold water temperatures of between 16-19C, along with the occasional jellyfish, all whilst fighting off opposition for the all-important top nine finish.
Jack Burnell (National Centre, Loughborough) claimed fifth in the 10km race at last year’s World Championships in Kazan to secure his nomination to represent Team GB in the marathon swim in Rio this Summer, so will not be competing in Portugal.
Watch the Men’s race live on Sunday.