At last year’s World Championships European male open water swimmers occupied the first nine places in the 5km race and the first four in the 10km event. At the Paris 2024 Olympics they secured the top 10 places in the 10km.
And in a coming season involving world and European championships they are set to make another huge splash. Everywhere you look there are prospects of further global success.
Rasovszsky rules – but beware Betlehem
Who can challenge Hungary’s Olympic and world 10km champion Kristof Rasovszsky?
The 27-year-old from Veszprem followed up his Tokyo 2020 silver with Paris 2024 gold, having earned the world title in Doha at the start of the year.
He is clearly at his peak – but not unbeatable, as evidenced at the European Aquatics Championships that took place in Belgrade shortly before the Paris Games, where he missed out on a medal.
Among his most pressing rivals is his 21-year-old compatriot David Betlehem, who also had a hugely consistent season of success. After earning 5km gold and 10km silver at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade, Betlehem carried his form though to Paris, where he earned Olympic bronze.
Look out for this domestic – and global – rivalry in 2025…
Olivier and Fontaine play it again
The French challenge in Europe’s season of success was spearheaded by Marc-Antoine Olivier and Logan Fontaine – and both appear ready to carry on where they left off this year.
At February’s World Aquatics Championships in Doha Olivier followed Rasovszsky home in the 10km race, with Fontaine missing a medal by one place.
Three days, however, Fontaine stood atop the podium after holding off the challenge of Olivier, who finished 0.3sec behind him in the 5km race.
Olivier earned European 5km silver in Belgrade before performing with honour at his home Games by finishing seventh – with Fontaine two places ahead of him. And Olivier ended his season with a bang as he won the 2024 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup series.
How will this rivalry play out in 2025?
Italy strength in depth set to earn further success
Italy’s overall strength in men’s open water swimming was underlined once again in 2024 – and a similar impact will be expected from their competitors in 2025.
Tokyo 2021 bronze medallist Gregorio Paltrinieri warmed up for the 2024 Games by winning the European 10km title, and finished ninth in Paris, although he departed the French capital with silver and bronze thanks to his efforts in the pool in the respective 1500m and 800m events.
His colleague Domenico Acerenza, who beat Rasovszsky to world 5km bronze, finished tantalisingly close to the Olympic podium, missing a medal in Paris by 0.6sec.
Dario Verani also had a great season, winning European gold over 25km and finishing second in the 2024 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup series. Meanwhile the overall European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Cup title was secured by Andrea Filadelli, while Marcello Guidi took European 5km bronze.
Velly giving it welly
As if the talents of Olivier and Fontaine were not enough, France has been able to call upon the prodigious talent of 19-year-old Sacha Velly.
He missed out on senior European 5km bronze by one place in Belgrade in June and then claimed the European junior title over 10km in Vienna.
Although he narrowly missed qualifying for his home Olympics – losing out to Antoine and Fontaine – he re-focused to claim the world 10km junior title in September, adding a second gold as part of the mixed relay team in Alghero, Italy.
The coming season will be full of promise for him.