'Pure fight' drives Johnson to open water double

As fans and family braved the morning sun at Palawan Beach on July 18 to catch the second day of the World Aquatics Championships' (WCH) open water events, there was something a lot more heated going on in the waters off Sentosa.

- Deepanraj Ganesan

Australia's Moesha Johnson and Ginevra Taddeucci of Italy were embroiled in a tense and thrilling sprint to the finish line in the women's 5km race.

When it mattered most, it was Johnson who turned on the gas at the final moment to clinch victory in 1hr 2min 1.30sec, a second ahead of Taddeucci. Japan's Ichika Kajimoto (1:02:28.90) was third.

This was Johnson's second gold medal in three days at the July 11-Aug 3 WCH in Singapore. On July 16, she had won the women's 10km race, over four seconds ahead of Taddeucci, for her maiden individual title in the world meet.

There was a similar crowning of a double gold medallist in the men's race as German swimmer Florian Wellbrock, who won the 10km crown, clinched the 5km event.

Johnson, 27, who led after the first of three laps, credited Taddeucci for pushing her.

She told The Straits Times: "At the finish line, I had no idea where she was.

"I knew she was going to fight, to be honest. I knew she wanted it today, and then I saw a splash beside me, but I just started kicking my legs."