Information courtesy of Gergely Csurka in Lake Balaton, Balatonfured, Hungary. Photo courtesy of Aniko Kovacs.

Taylor Abbott went for it and never looked back during the boys (ages 15-16) 5 km race at the 2014 FINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships in Lake Balaton, Hungary.

The young American raced out to the lead and held off the chase pack throughoutAbbott raced out to the lead and held on as a Chinese duo of Jintong Yang and Zhongyi Qiao came closest to nipping at his heels.

“I didn’t expect this, it’s a fantastic feeling to come first at the World Championships,” said Abbott.

Results of 7.5 km junior boys (ages 17-18):

1. Taylor Abbott (USA), 56:13.32
2. Jintong Yang (CHN) 56.17.64
3. Zhongyi Qiao (CHN) 56.18.33
4. Ivan Šitić (CRO) 56:24.98
5. Iaroslav Potapov (RUS) 56:25.16
6. Artem Mamushkin (RUS) 56:31.02
7. Thore Bermel (GER) 56:31.20
8. Matthew Mark Meyer (RSA) 57:24.89
9. Gustav Swedenborg (SWE) 57:27.55
10. Thomas Millburn (GBR) 57:44.04
11. Dimitrios Negris (GRE) 57:47.00
12. Alessandro Bellinelli (ITA) 58:00.40
13. Josh Zakala (CAN) 58:01.40
14. Samson Boileau (FRA) 58:16.50
15. Zoltán Drigan (HUN) 58:20.24
16. Felipe Rizzo (BRA) 58:20.56
17. Ashley Hogg (GBR) 58:21.68
18. Diego Marino (ESP) 58:23.63
19. Daniel Silvestri (ITA) 58:24.55
20. Juan Morles (VEN) 58:24.72
21. Anthony Siou (FRA) 58:31.88
22. Carlos Menchaca (ESP) 58:41.54
23. Piero Canduelas (PER) 58:50.88
24. Matan Roditi (ISR) 58:54.67
25. Konstantinos Zafeiris Chatzige (GRE) 58:59.16
26. Reuben Schoeman (RSA) 59:03.18
27. Gustavo Gutierez (PER) 59:15.60
28. Noureldin Farouk (EGY) 59:55.28
29. Simon Lamar (USA) 59:56.28
30. Richárt Miksi (HUN) 1:00:43.42
31. Mostafa Zaky (EGY) 1:00:49.27
32. Lovro Dijanovic (CRO) 1:00:56.94
33. Sebastian Paulins (CAN) 1:01:42.94
34. Georgey Gakhokidze (KAZ) 1:02:12.94
35. Rommel Huancas Arrobo (ECU) 1:02:45.32
36. Timur Abzhanov (KAZ) 1:03:42.34
37. Israel Meza Rivas (ECU) 1:06:37.70
38. Felipe Ribeiro (BRA) DNF

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