Ana Marcela CUNHA (BRA)

Image Source: Ana Marcela Cunha of Team Brasil during World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup. (Emanuele Perrone/Getty Images)

Defending Olympic champion Cunha has won seven individual world titles in marathon swimming. At the Olympic distance of 10km, she has claimed four world championship medals, but without winning gold (one silver and three bronze).

Cunha won her first medal at the Olympic Games in her third appearance, after finishing 5th in 2008, and 10th in 2016 in her native Brazil.

At the 2024 World Aquatics Championships, Cunha tied for fourth place in the 10km.

Cunha has been chosen by World Aquatics as the female open-water swimmer of the year eight times (2010, 2014-15, 2017-19, 2021-22).

Sharon VAN ROUWENDAAL (NED)

Image Source: Silver medalist Sharon van Rouwendaal of Team Netherlands poses after the Women's 10km Marathon Swimming on day twelve of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Odaiba Marine Park. ( Clive Rose/Getty Images)

The silver medallist at Tokyo 2020, Van Rouwendaal is the only woman to win two medals in marathon swimming at the Olympic Games.

She competed in the pool at London 2012, then in both pool and marathon swimming at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, but will swim in open water only at Paris 2024.

Van Rouwendaal won the 10km world title at the 2022 and 2024 World Aquatics Championships.

Leonie BECK (GER)

Image Source: Gold medallist Leonie Beck of Team Germany poses during the medal ceremony for the Open Water Women's 5km Final on day three of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Seaside Momochi Beach Park. (Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Beck won gold in the women's 10km at the 2023 World Championships, after taking silver in 2022. 

She finished fifth in the 10km at Tokyo 2020.

General

Eight countries have won medals in women’s Marathon Swimming, led by Netherlands, Brazil, Great Britain, and Italy, each with two medals.

The four gold medals in this event have been won by four different National Olympic Committees (NOCs) – Russia (2008), Hungary (2012), Netherlands (2016), and Brazil (2020).