EXCLUSIVE: $50,000 Prize Pool Confirmed as Paris Medalists Set Their Sights on Australian Open-Water Swimming Championships

Two of the three medallists from the women’s marathon swimming event at the Paris Olympics, including an Italian competitor, are preparing to dive into the waters of Busselton for the Australian open-water championships, which boasts a $50,000 prize pool.

Wide World of Sports has confirmed that Australian swimmer Moesha Johnson and Italy’s Ginevra Taddeucci, who secured silver and bronze in the women’s 10km event in the River Seine, will both compete in the 10km race at the Australian championships scheduled for next Thursday.

Unlike last year’s championships in Busselton, which did not offer any prizemoney, this year’s event promises a substantial $50,000 pool to be shared among 20 competitors, as reported by Wide World of Sports.

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The victors in both the men’s and women’s open 10km races will earn $8,000 each, while the second and third placed athletes in each event will receive $6,000 and $1,500 respectively. The remaining prize money will be allocated to the rest of the top 10 finishers in both categories.

Johnson, who shares a close friendship with Sharon van Rouwendaal from the Netherlands, the gold medallist in Paris, expressed her disappointment at being unable to convince her friend to compete in WA. However, she’s looking forward to a fiercely contested race against her Italian rival.

“I expect it to be a challenging race,” Johnson remarked to Wide World of Sports from her training camp in South Africa. “Ginevra and I have faced off on several occasions, including some races after Paris.”

“In open water, confidence can be elusive due to the myriad of factors involved, like variable water conditions and the presence of other competitors, currents, and wind, among others. I’m thrilled that she’s coming here to compete, and I look forward to seeing how it unfolds next week. It’s a fantastic way to kick off the season ahead of the international circuit.”

At the Paris Games, only a mere 3.1 seconds differentiated Johnson and Taddeucci in the race for the silver and bronze medals.

All four Australian marathon swimmers who participated in Paris — Johnson, Chelsea Gubecka, Nick Sloman, and Kyle Lee — are set to compete in Busselton.

There’s a particular incentive as selection for the world swimming championships in Singapore, taking place in September, is very much on the line.

“I’ve been encouraging everyone to join the Busselton event this year,” Johnson shared.

“I get genuinely excited when athletes come to compete in my country because I often have to travel to Europe and race far from home,” she added.

“I’m incredibly passionate about attracting competitors to Australia so they can experience the beauty of my homeland. The locations we’ve hosted [the championships], not just this year but in years past, are truly remarkable.”