BRISBANE, Australia — Canadian Olympic medallist Richard Weinberger took third place Sunday in the men’s five kilometre race at the Australian Open Water Swimming Championships.
Britain’s Jack Burnell won the race in 56 minutes 1.03 seconds with Japan’s Yasunari Hirai second in 56:01.37 and Weinberger, the Olympic bronze medallist in London, in third in 56:01.01.
"I feel like I turned things around quite well from yesterday," said Weinberger, sixth in the 10-kilometre event on Saturday. "I woke up mad and tired but I had a job to do and I got it done. I knew I was tougher than those guys. It gives me confidence I can execute a strategy that can win when I have more rest."
Burnell allowed compatriot Caleb Hughes and Australians Rhys Mainstone and Jarrod Poort to take turns at the lead, before he and Weinberger and Hirai swam out of the pack to stage a thrilling three-man sprint to the finish.