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Swimming: Fina open water swim series |25 May 2018

Payet brothers hope to swim another series after last weekend’s great performance

 

After reaching home within the time limit in last Sunday’s 10km swim of the Fina/Hosa open water swimming series, the Payet brothers - Damien and Bertrand - are very pleased with their performance and should be on the plane any time for another leg.

Aged 14, Damien, the younger of the two, had told Sports NATION before the race that his main goal was to finish within the time limit. In the end, he was able to achieve his goal with a time of 2 hours 11 minutes 55.04 seconds (2h11:55.04) – 22:13.5 behind race winner, Italian Simone Ruffini (1h49:41.9).
His big brother Bertrand also finished the race within the time limit, however with a close call (2h19:15.09), just 26 seconds away from being out of the race (29:34.0 slower than the winning time). According to Fédération internationale de football association (Fina) rules, every competitor who ends the race 30 minutes after the winner has hit the board, won’t account as a finished race and will be classified under ‘Out of Time Limit’. This was the case for the brothers when they performed in the first race in Doha, Qatar and in the second leg last week it was the turn of Abdulaziz Al-Obaidly from Qatar to live the experience. As for German Ruwen Straub he did not finish the race.

Winner Simone Ruffini’s amazing time of 1h49:41.09 made it even harder for the two Seychellois performers to stay within the time limit, but in the end they both made it. Many were overjoyed with how the athletes performed and home advantage definitely helped.

Seychelles Swimming Association chairman David Vidot was thrilled with what the brothers were able to achieve.

“At such a young age, the brothers were able to achieve wonders. They were going up against some of the best open water swimmers in the world and to be able to stay within the time limit was an amazing achievement for them. In their previous race, they weren’t able to do so, but this time around, having the leader end the race below 1 hour and 50 minutes and still being able to get a qualifying time, I think is the best thing that could have possibly happened. It’s a great win for them, and we hope to see them in action again,” said Vidot.

He continued to mention that after such an amazing performance, the two swimmers are bound to perform in the Fina open water competition again, but which leg of the series to compete in, is still uncertain.

Speaking to Sports NATION the two athletes were very modest with their achievements.

“I’m very happy that I was able to achieve my goal, finishing within the time limit. This is because in Doha for the first leg, I didn’t do very well, so this was a big boost for me. I think what really helped me was the fact that I was at home and I’m used to the sea, but some of the credit also goes to my coach, who helped me throughout. If I were to compete in other legs of the competition, I would hope to keep improving and get a better result,” said Damien Payet.

As for Bertrand Payet, he explained that even though he realised that he was a distance from the pack, he refused to give up and continued to push in all parts of the race.

“I’m very proud of what I was able to achieve. I knew I would be able to do well, because I had lots of help from my coach, because in Doha I had a different coach. So having been taught well in advance really helped. I kept pushing every second of the race and if I’m to compete in other legs, I will aim to train harder,” he continued.        

 

 

 

 

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