She wanted to cry. She was so disappointed. That was then.

The recent USC graduate from California certainly. made up for it today.

Deeply emotional at the USA Swimming World Championship Trials by not qualifying for the 10 km, Haley Anderson came back with a vengeance to win the 5 km trials 2 days later. “My father always makes me feel good,” Anderson recalls after her disheartening swim at the USA trials.

“Win or lose, good times and bad, he just knows the right thing to say.”

Taking a page out of the British open water swimming book, Haley Anderson found herself in the lead during the first loop of today’s 5 km world championship race. But unlike the strategy that was used so successfully by Keri-Anne Payne in year’s past, Anderson did not do so intentionally. “I didn’t realise that I was going to be in the lead but when you are the leader you are in control of everyone behind you. If I drift off course I take them with me.”

So she backed off the pace on the second loop and let Poliana Okimoto of Brazil take the lead until she reeled her in during the last stages of the race. And Father Anderson smiled brightly with paternal pride with her closing spring: win or lose. There were no tears today, just big broad smiles from the Anderson clan when she showed her trademark sprint to touch out 2-time Olympic veteran Poliana Okimoto of Brazil.

1. Haley Anderson (USA) 56:34.2
2. Poliana Okimoto (BRA) 56:34.4
3. Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA) 56:44.7
4. Kaliopi Araouzou (GRE)56:45.3
5. Isabelle Harle (GER) 56:46.2
6. Cara Baker (NZL) 56:46.2
7. Martina Grimaldi (ITA) 56:46.3
8. Rebecca Mann (USA) 56:46.4
9. Aurelle Muller (FRA) 56:46.5
10. Rachele Bruni (ITA) 56:48.1
11. Danielle Defrancesco (AUS) 56:48.2
12. Anna Olasz (HUN) 56:58.4
13. Yurema Requena Juarez (ESP) 57:00.1
14. Bonnie MacDonald (AUS) 57:01.3
15. Anastasia Azarova (RUS) 57:04.3
16. Margarita Dominguez Cabezas (ESP) 57:04.4
17. Elizaverta Gorshkova (RUS) 57:06.2
18. Ophilie Aspord (FRA) 57:06.3
19. Yanqaio Fang (CHN) 57:07.0
20. Shiyue Cao (CHN) 57:19.5
21. Angelica Andre (POR) 57:22.1
22. Paola Katia Barros Esquivel (ECU) 57:26.4
23. Swann Oberson (SUI) 57:26.8
24. Emma Robinson (NZL) 57:29.5
25. Kyna Pereira (RSA) 57:30.8
26. Belen Florencia Mazzei Villegas (ARG) 57:49.0
27. Paola Perez (VEN) 57:51.5
28. Marianna Lymperta (GRE) 57:55.3
29. Barbora Pickova (CZE) 58:59.2
30. Maroua Mathlouthi (TUN) 59:51.8
31. Florencia Melo (VEN) 1:01:32.5
32. Nataly Rosala Caldas Calle (ECU) 1:01:41.7
33. Laila El Basiouny (EGY) 1:01:52.4
35. Mayela Oropeza Estrada (MEX) 1:03:01.1
36. Valerie Gruest (GUA) 1:03:03.8
37. Mariya Ivanova (KAZ) 1:05:19.0
38. Mahina Valdivia Dannenberg (CHI) 1:05:19.6
39. Anna Gakhokidze (KAZ) 1:06:25.6
40. Hannah Hang Fung Li (HKG) 1:06:30.6
41. Risa Andriani Permana (INA) 1:10:16.7
42. Maria Mikaela Aponte (BOL) 1:10:21.2
Michele Weber (RSA) – DNF
Fiona On Yi Chan (HKG) – DSQ
Finnia Wunram (GER) – DNF

The Olympic 10K Marathon Swim silver medalist said after the race, “The 5K is half the distance and double the fun.”

 

Water temperature was 23.8ºC (74.8ºF) with an air temperature of 32.2ºC (90ºF) and a relative humidity of 80%.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming