BELGRADE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2024
The Belgrade 2024 European Championships began yesterday with open water competitions. The shortest race, if you can call it that, is on the program today: the men’s and women’s 5km.
The Italians who dived into the Sava river are Ginevra Taddeucci and the Rio 2016 Olympic silver medalist Rachele Bruni.
After Marcello Guidi’s bronze in the men’s 5km, Italy also medals in the women’s race: European silver for Ginevra Taddeucci.
Yesterday Pozzobon, today Taddeucci, both deprived of the European gold by the final sprint of an unpredictable Leonie Beck.
THE PODIUM
- Leonie BECK 58:25.3
- Ginevra TADDEUCCI +1.2
- Bettina FABIAN +3.4
In the chasing group, Andrea FILADELLI finished in seventh place and Vincenzo CASO in ninth.
FIRST HALF OF THE RACE
Lisa Pou immediately takes the lead, exactly like yesterday in the 10km. Instead, the favorite Leonie Beck, who yesterday hid until the end and then launched the progression that earned her the gold, changes her strategy. Ginevra Taddeucci is among the first, Rachele Bruni at the bottom of the first group, 8 seconds from Pou.
Halfway through the race, the Spanish Maria de Valdes Alvarez takes the lead over the leading group. Taddeucci follows, slightly detached, accompanied by Pou and Beck, also not exactly in a compact group. Bruni in ninth position: she lost about 6 seconds to the Spanish in the second lap.
At 2.3 km
- VALDES ALVAREZ
- TADDEUCCI +3.3
- POU +5.2
- BECK +7.4
SECOND HALF OF THE RACE
Lisa Pou collapses in the third km, which worsens her disadvantage over Valdes by up to 10 seconds. Instead, the German Beck approaches and launches herself in pursuit with Taddeucci.
At the beginning of the last km the distances between the swimmers shorten again.
At 3.9 km
- VALDES ALVAREZ
- BECK +0.7
- TADDEUCCI +2.5
- POU +5.8
LAST KM
Leonie Beck momentarily moved into first position, before suffering an attack from Ginevra Taddeucci.
The Italian overtakes, Leonie Beck gives up meters and struggles to keep the new pace imposed. With less than a kilometer to go the first group is in single file. Taddeucci leads, Valdes bites her feet, Beck follows.
At the last turning point, Taddeucci followed a trajectory that was too outside, which forced her to fall back on her opponents and lose a few centimeters of advantage.
A few meters from the final funnel Beck begins the usual sprint that distinguishes her: she easily overtakes the Spanish, and goes in search of Taddeucci. She arrives at double speed and overtakes the Italian 10 meters from the finish line, guaranteeing herself the gold with a one meter advantage.
Great race by the Italian who wins silver, fifth medal of the Italian expedition.
