FUKUOKA, Japan -- Russia won two gold medals at swimming's
world championships Saturday, capturing an ocean race and a team
title in synchronized swimming.
Italy's Viola Valli added the 25-kilometer women's open-water
title to her victory in the 5K in Hakata Bay, where Russia's Yury
Koudinov won the men's 25K.
In water polo, the U.S. men beat Canada 6-3, and the U.S. women
defeated Brazil 12-2.
The pool races begin Sunday with heats in the men's 50-meter
freestyle. One of the first racers will be Eric "The Eel"
Moussambani, who made his name at the last Olympics not for speed,
but for survival.
The swimmer from Equatorial Guinea recorded the slowest
100-meter freestyle in Olympic history, but won the hearts of the
crowd with his grit.
Australia's Ian Thorpe, who holds world records at 200, 400 and
800 meters, will swim the 400 freestyle.
After a week of synchronized swimming and ocean racing, Russia
had four golds and Italy three. Japan won its first synchronized
swimming gold in a world championships or Olympics, and Germany
also had one gold, for ocean racing.
Russia's gold in the team synchronized swimming was a repeat of
its Olympic victory last year, but with an all new team.
Portraying witches to spooky classical music from "Night on
Bald Mountain," the Russians won perfect 10s from three of the
five judges evaluating artistry. They also had one 10 for technique
in a total score of 98.917.
Repeating the order of last year's Olympics, Japan took the
silver with 98.083 and Canada took bronze with 97.453.
The United States placed fourth in the team, solo and duet
events -- the first time it was out of the medals in a world
championships. The Americans also were shut out for the first time
in the Olympics.
Japan broke the Russian monopoly at this meet when Miya
Tachibana and Miho Takeda won the duet swim. Russia's Olga
Brusnikina, already a world and Olympic duet and team gold
medalist, won the solo.
Koudinov is a repeat champion in open-water swimming, which is
not an Olympic event. He also won the 25K in Hawaii last fall in
the first world championships exclusively for open-water races.
This time, he finished 28 seconds ahead of France's Stephane
Gomez in 5 hours, 25 minutes, 32 seconds. France's Stephane Lecat
was third.
Valli tired early in her race around an island and back, winning
in 5:56:51. She finished 300 meters ahead of Dutch swimmer Edith
Van Dijk, the 25K winner in Hawaii last year. Germany's Angela
Maurer was third.
The first gold medals for races in the pool come Sunday night,
all in 400-meter events -- men's freestyle individual and relay
races and the women's individual medley.
Diving begins with two synchronized events -- the 3-meter
springboard for men, the 10-meter platform for women. After
capturing a record five gold medals at the Sydney Olympics, China
is strongly favored.
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ALSO SEE
World swimming championship results
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