By Ian Ransom
PARIS (Reuters) -Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky won the men’s 10km marathon swimming gold at the Olympics on Friday, holding off German silver medallist Oliver Klemet in a gruelling slog along the final length of the Seine River.
There was more medal joy for Hungary, with David Betlehem claiming bronze for the nation.
Four swimmers failed to finish the race, while Sweden’s Victor Johansson elected not to start citing health concerns about the water quality.
Rasovszky, however, was not to be denied, three years after being beaten for the gold at Tokyo by another German in Florian Wellbrock.
The 27-year-old crossed the finish in one hour, 50 minutes and 52.7 seconds, 2.1 seconds ahead of Klemet.
Wellbrock finished eighth in his title defence after going out quickly and rounding the first lap in front.
The German was soon overhauled by Rasovszky who broke away from a group of chasers early in the second lap.
Wellbrock pushed again to nudge in front in the fourth lap but the determined Rasovszky snatched back the lead and held it to the finish.
While Wellbrock flagged, his teammate Klemet burst from the chasing pack to join Rasovszky in a two-man breakaway as they flew down-river in the last lap.
Two of the chasers caught up as they returned up-stream for the final length but there was no stopping world champion Rasovszky.
He was joined on the podium by Betlehem who put in a incredible late surge to deny Italian Domenico Acerenza the bronze by 0.6 seconds.
The event went ahead as scheduled with water quality deemed compliant from testing.
Tunisian swimmer Ahmed Jaouadi did not start, having been withdrawn from the race on Thursday by the nation’s Olympic committee.
The Tunisian Olympic committee declined to comment when contacted by Reuters on Friday.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Michael Perry)
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