Swim ten kilometres. Thousands of arm strokes. Currents, battles for position and tactical decisions over a long period.
And in the end, exactly 0.2 seconds separate gold from silver.
At the 2026 World Cup final in Setúbal, David Betlehem won the men's race ahead of Sacha Velly in a photo finish – and secured the overall title for the first time.
A distance race ends as a sprint
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The race was fast because of changing current conditions. Several world-class athletes took turns at the front before the decision came down to the final metres.
That is one of the most fascinating features of modern open water: a race can last almost two hours and still be decided by qualities that resemble those of a sprinter.
Fatigue makes speed more valuable
A finishing sprint after ten kilometres is not a normal sprint. Technique is fatigued, energy stores are depleted and athletes must simultaneously find a clear line to the finish.
Finishing speed in open-water training should therefore not be tested only when fresh. Fast segments at the end of longer efforts and tactical sprints out of a pack are particularly interesting.
0.2 seconds are also 10,000 metres of preparation
The result shows how misleading it would be to look only at the finishing sprint. Betlehem had to remain in a position throughout the race from which that sprint was possible in the first place.
Open water therefore combines long-duration endurance with millisecond logic. Two tenths after ten kilometres are not merely a close finish – they are the result of two hours of decisions.
Finish training needs prior fatigue
A useful practical approach is to include short sprints after longer sets or immediately after tactical group sections. Coaches should measure not only finishing speed, but also line choice, stroke rate and decision quality. The best sprint is of little use if the athlete has to launch it from a poor position.
SCIENTIFIC SOURCE
https://www.worldaquatics.com/news/4523129/david-betlehem-clinches-overall-world-cup-title-in-setubal-showdown