17-year-old American Claire Stulhmacher won the gold medal in the 10km on Thursday afternoon at the 2024 World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships in Italy as she won in a photo finish at 2:09:15.90. Stuhlmacher, who was initially announced as the second place finisher behind Italy’s Chiara Sanzullo, was awarded the gold medal after a lengthy video review.

Sanzullo was not able to get the touch over Stuhlmacher and wound up with the silver, three-tenths behind the American at 2:09:16.20. This was already Italy’s second medal of the championships in home waters.

"It was a little nervewracking going in," Stuhlmacher said after the race. "I didn't know how this would go. I got fourth two years ago in the Seychelles, so toward the end today, I just took off. I just had that extra sense of motivation; I kept telling myself, 'You have to medal this time.' It really was internal motivation, pushing myself to the finish, that made the difference."

Stuhlmacher was able to make her move on the fifth lap, staying at the back of the lead pack to come out with the lead going into the last lap, forcing the field to react to the change of pace. She held the lead with the rest at her feet for the majority of the sixth lap, but as the field turned on to the final straightaway, Sanzullo and Greece’s Georgia Makri moved up to challenge.

Sanzullo inched out to the lead, moving ahead of the American but she found something else. As they approached the final finishing chute, the three held their lines into the touchpad and Stuhlmacher was able to touch first ahead of Sanzullo, with Makri six-tenths behind with bronze at 2:09:16.60.

"The last part of the race was really, really hard -- especially with the kick at the end," said silver medallist Sanzulla. "I am speechless; I am so happy."

"It was an amazing race in an amazing place. It was a bit wavy, and the temperature was perfect," added bronze medallist Makri. "And the sprint at the end, it was everything or nothing. I really did the best I could. Being on the podium is really amazing."

Stuhlmacher was able to win gold after she missed out on the medals in the 7.5km two years ago at these championships in Seychelles.

Sanzullo, age 18, received the medal from her older brother Mario, who was 14th in Tokyo 2020 in the 10K and was the Worlds silver medalist in the 5K in Budapest 2017.

Japan’s Misa Okuzono finished fourth at 2:09:17.30, just off the podium after she was leading the race on laps four and five. Okuzono, age 18, finished ahead of Hungary’s Vivien Nett (2:09:17.60) in the lead pack as Nett was leading in the front half of the race.

Italy’s Emma Micheletti (2:09:21.70) lost touch with the leaders on the last lap as she finished sixth in the chase pack, ahead of Germany’s Hannah Gatjen (2:09:22.00) and France’s Clemence Coccordano (2:09:22.80), who was one of the pre-race favorites by virtue of her gold at the European Juniors in July. She made her move on the last lap and was challenging the leaders but could not hang on for a medal as she finished eighth overall.

Hungary’s Glenda Abonyi-Toth (2:10:28.40) and Japan’s Miku Kojima (2:10:31.80) rounded out the top ten.

Parting Shot