History Repeats Itself As Kyle Lee Wins Australian 10km Title; World Champion Moesha Johnson Defends Women’s Crown

Historical past Repeats Itself As Kyle Lee Wins Australian 10km Title; World Champion Moesha Johnson Defends Ladies’s Crown

So far as historical past repeating itself goes it doesn’t get a lot better and far nearer than as we speak’s Australian 10km males’s Open Water Championship at Bunbury’s Koombana Bay in WA.

After a gruelling battle-royal, native Western Australian hero and 2024 Olympian Kyle Lee (North Coast, WA) staged one other stroke-for-stroke shoot out with Queensland’s Thomas Raymond (Noosa, QLD), in what may effectively be an on the spot replay 12 months on.

Lee profitable the dash once more as he did with Raymond in Busselton in 2025, along with his Paris teammate, open water debutant and former 400m freestyle world champion Sam Brief (Rackley, QLD) snatching bronze in one other touch-and-go end for third – definitely The making his presence felt.

DREAM COMES TRUE…AGAIN: WA’s favourite open water son Kyle Lee claims one other tight end. Picture Courtesy Adam Crane (Swimming Australia)

Flip the clock again 12 months to the waters of Bunbury in WA and it was Lee and Raymond who went hammer-and-tongs, Lee, absolutely the grasp of the fingernail end, out-touching his Queensland rival by five-one-hundredths (0.05).

Solely variations as we speak ? The Location (50km down the coast) their cap colors and the third placegetters – Brief changing five-time champion and one other Paris Olympian in Nick Sloman, compelled out of the race on the eleventh hour with a sinus an infection.

In one other frantic end it was Lee (1:51:41.50) surging along with his left hand to out-touch Raymond (1:51:41.60) with Brief, hitting the board in 1:51:43.70 – the profitable margin in 2026 simply 0.10.

Within the ladies’s occasion it was defending champion Moesha Johnson (Miami, QLD) dwelling as much as her repute as one of many world’s greatest, the two-time 2025 World Champion taking the title from an ever-present and enhancing Tayla Martin (Carlile, NSW) with Japan’s Sachika Kajimoto third.

Johnson touching in 1:54:59.30, Martin in 1:55:21.20 and Kajimoto third in 1:59:56.80.

NUMBER ONE: Moesha Johnson turns it on in WA. Picture Courtesy Adam Crane (Swimming Australia)

Queensland’s open water newcomer and rising pool star Tiana Kritzinger (Rackley, QLD) was an encouraging fourth, the third Australian residence in 2:00:02.20.

A $50,000 prize purse was on provide for the Prime 8 finishers of the lads’s and girls’s 10km that featured $8000 for the primary, $6000 for second and $1500 for third descending down in worth to 8thplace.

What They Stated:

MEN

MEN’S PODIUM: (L-R) Tom Raymond, Kyle Lee and Sam Brief. Picture Courtesy Adam Crane (Swimming Australia).

Kyle Lee: “It feels simply as particular figuring out that there was such a top quality area coming over. We had the standard names like Tom Raymond and Bailey Armstrong and somebody like Sam Brief to hitch the ranks makes the race very thrilling,” he stated.

“It was extraordinarily near that end, there was about 4 or 5 of us boys that had been all shut and never figuring out who was going to get it I assume retains it actually thrilling and I used to be in a position to simply get the contact on Tom (Raymond) which I’m fairly pleased with.

“It’s been good to remain residence and sleep in my very own mattress. To return down right here and see so many acquainted faces and family and friends that I’ve grown up with may be very particular.

“It’s superior (to have the likes of Sam Brief and Tiana Kritzinger). We’ve seen …..a few of the greatest pool swimmers (from around the globe) flip into the very best open water swimmers. I’m extraordinarily glad that Tiana (Kritzinger) and Sam (Brief) are giving it a go and it solely will increase the depth in Australia and that helps us develop as a nation.

“That is nice (and) offers us the chance to go (and) compete at World Cups to attempt to make that Australian group that can compete on the Pan Pacific Championships, so it is a nice begin and it was nice to observe my teammates race earlier than me and seeing them get an excellent consequence.

“I feel everybody has completely different methods within the race and I attempt to take the within line and that works greatest for me.”

Sam Brief: “It was good enjoyable however it was very onerous, in all probability extra mentally than bodily to be sincere.

“These guys are so skilled and I may inform they had been utilizing their expertise in opposition to me all through the entire race so I used to be form of attempting to stick with them however I used to be proper there ultimately.

“After they began surging, I may inform I needed to get my stroke charge up, I in all probability ought to have been a bit smarter … and I didn’t feed sufficient. I didn’t know whether or not to feed after which attempt work onerous to catch again up or to attempt to keep in my rhythm … I in all probability ought to have fed a minimum of another time however that comes with a little bit of apply.”

“I’ve received the 5km and the 3km (knockout dash) nonetheless to come back, so I feel shorter distances could also be a bit higher for me.

“It’s in all probability the fittest I’ve ever been in January … it’s actually good coaching, a whole lot of kilometres – 18 kilometres of racing throughout 4 days – so I feel it’s going to set me up effectively … and I’d slightly do a 10km race than 10km within the pool for coaching.

“I’d like to be a part of the 4x1500m or the 3km knockout at a World Championship if it’s out there and suits into my timeline. I’ve received to show myself at Nationals to have the ability to throw my hat in the proper to be out there for that. Fernado (Possenti, Australian Open Water Head Coach) is aware of what he’s doing, he’s coached some legends earlier than.”

Moesha Johnson: “The water temp was completely lovely … the wind was somewhat bit uneven however it died in the course of the center of the race and we had some cloud cowl, which is good for the glare. General, only a very nice location.

“Tactic for this race was (simply) … swim. And that’s simply what I did. I had my very own line firstly and simply form of targeted on preserving a good rhythm, constructing by way of the race and working towards just a few issues to me, personally, for the season forward.

“A number of issues enticed me to come back again. We’ve received an excellent initiative with some prize cash, it’s an excellent season opener for me to start out and set myself up for the World Cups and Pan Pacs, finally. It’s a brand new race location and I really like exploring my very own nation, I used to be actually excited to come back race someplace new.

“I introduced my coach (Bernd Berkhahn) out (to Australia) which is one thing I haven’t finished. I’ve finished a whole lot of particular person racing with out him, so I assumed this was an excellent alternative in January to have him come and assess jet lag and some issues, particularly within the preparation for LA.”

Tayla Martin: “The primary six laps had been fairly flat after which the chop got here up in the direction of the final two (laps).

“My aim for as we speak was to be on Moe’s ft for many of the race … I misplaced it in the direction of the tip however I’m actually pleased with that race.

“That race gave me nice confidence going into these World Cups and Pan Pacs afterward this yr. (To be) high 10 on the planet can be wonderful, in order that’s the aim.”