In the early hours of the morning, the Seine River bore witness to one of the most gruelling events of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games: the men’s 10km Marathon Swim. Olympic debutants Nick Sloman and Kyle Lee battled a competitive field to place 11th and 13th, respectively.
They were among 31 athletes braving the cool waters and tricky currents. Nick, who improved on Australia’s 12th place at Tokyo 2020 men's competition, had a journey to compete in Paris that was long and arduous.
The 26-year-old from the Sunshine Coast has been a stalwart in Australian open water swimming, having claimed three national titles and a fifth-place finish at the 2024 World Championships in Doha.
The Seine presented a unique challenge, with water temperatures at 23°C and a current that was not as strong as the previous day, yet still demanding at 0.6-0.7 m/s.
"The current was very strong, something that I haven't really experienced before. So it was kind of a learning experience. The first couple of laps, the turning points, were pretty crucial for me to try and make up as many places as I could," Nick said.
As the laps progressed, the effort to maintain their positions against a world-class field took its toll on the Aussie pair. Yet, their determination never wavered.
Nick crossed the finish line in 11th place, clocking a time of 1:56:24.4. While it wasn’t the finish he had hoped for, Nick remained proud of his accomplishment.
"I'm just glad to finish. You know, finishing 11th is probably not what I wanted, but at the end of the day, I'm proud to be the one representing Australia," Nick said. "Hopefully next time we can make LA and have a better result."
Kyle also put forth a valiant effort. He showed mental strength and resilience as he navigated the challenging course.
Finishing 13th with a time of 1:56:42.5, his performance underscored his potential and bright future in open water swimming. Cheered on by a strong support crew, Kyle was proud to perform for his cheer squad in the stands.
“It was nice to have my family here. They’ve done a lot for me, so it was really special,” Kyle said.
The race was ultimately won by Hungary's Kristof Rasovszky, who captured the gold medal with a time of 1:50:52.7. Germany’s Oliver Klemet and Hungary’s David Betlehem rounded out the podium, taking silver and bronze, respectively.
As competition closed on the marathon swimming, the two Aussie swimmers reflected on their experience. While they did not achieve their ultimate goals, they both walked away with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Their performances in Paris are a stepping stone to future successes, with Los Angeles 2028 firmly in their sights.
Sarah Dyce
