Pace too hot for Radford at world champs

New Zealand swimmer Kane Radford in action during the men's 10km open water race at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Kazan. Photo / Ian MacNicol

Rotorua swimmer Kane Radford has finished 30th in the men's 10km Open Water Swim at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Russia.

The 24-year-old, who was New Zealand's flagbearer at the opening ceremony, lost ground when the slick pace went up another notch on the final 2.5km lap on the Kazanka River.

The Pan Pacific Championship bronze medallist managed a creditable 1hr 51m29s to finish 1 minute 29 seconds behind American winner Jordan Wilimovsky.

The New Zealander positioned himself in the main pack that reeled off three successive 28 minute laps but when Wilimovsky moved through the field from near last, he pushed up the pace.

Only a handful could stay with him as Radford joined some illustrious swimmers including Olympic champion Ous Mellouli and early leader Gergely Gyurta who found the pace too hot.

The American, not included in many pre-race predictions, won in 1:49:48 from Dutchman Ferry Weertman who out-touched Greek defending champion Spyridon Gianniotis for the podium placings.

"It was not the result I was looking for. I felt good through the middle stages of the race but that last bit again I really need to continue to work on," Radford said.

"I guess now I have to quickly move on. I have a year to focus on the next qualifying race and I need to have a better showing than that to put my hand up for the Olympics.

"In the guys' field it is so stacked and on any given day anyone can get up it is that close."

Radford has one further chance of Olympic nomination at the second qualifying event in Portugal next May where a further nine places are available.

New Zealand's Charlotte Webby is in action tomorrow in the women's 10km race among 61 starters including London Olympic champion Eva Risztov (Hungary), defending world champion Poliana Okimoto (Brazil), the Pan Pacific winner Haley Anderson (USA) and World Cup leader Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil).

The rest of the New Zealand team are at their staging camp in Barcelona with the pool competition to start on 2 August.