Moesha Johnson Sprints to Double-Double at Open Water World Cup; Paulo Strehlke Delgado Clinches Mexico’s First Medal
Moesha Johnson reaffirmed her status as the dominant force in women’s open water with 3k sprint gold on the penultimate stop of the Open Water World Cup in Golfo Aranci.
Dávid Betlehem won the men’s title as Paulo Strehlke Delgado claimed silver to secure Mexico’s first open water medal in international waters.
Johnson won her third straight 10k on the opening day of the Open Water World Cup with a whopping 25-second winning margin.
The Olympic silver medallist returned for the 3k sprint knockout to lead the way in the heats and semis before winning the final in 6:18.60 to clinch the double-double after winning both events at the previous World Cup stop in Ibiza.
Isabel Gose – coached by Bernd Berkhahn alongside Johnson at Magdeburg – was second in 6:19.80 with Spain’s Paula Otero Hernandez of Spain third in 6:22.80.
Johnson has now won all five titles available to her over three World Cup stops with three 10k and two 3k sprint golds with just one stop remaining in Setubal, Portugal, next month. She also led off an Australia quartet that finished third in the mixed relay.
The Australian said through World Aquatics: “I’m not done yet and I think just the knockout really does challenge me and to come away with a gold after two big weeks of racing and a relay this morning, I’m really stoked with that. It’s just such a beautiful afternoon and I’m really grateful to be here.”
Betlehem arrived at Golfo Aranci on the back of a golden double in Ibiza. The Hungarian – who won open water bronze at the Paris Olympics – was hampered by a cold and finished 18th in the 10k on Friday.
However, he returned to winning form in the sprint final in 6:00.40 ahead of Mexico’s Paulo Strehlke Delgado who won his first international medal in 6:01.70 with Gregorio Paltrinieri in third in 6:02.80.
“I think I’m good when things go wrong in the race,” Betlehem said. “I can change everything in my mind and just look at the next race like nothing happened yesterday.
Day two had kicked off with the relay which was won by Italy with Paltrinieri anchoring them to victory in 1:05:04.60 ahead of France (1:05:05.70) and Australia (1:05:09.20).