Greek swimmer Alkis Kynigakis finished eighth in the men’s 5km open water event at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris.
Kynigakis stayed within striking distance of the leading group for much of the race but could not match the pace during the final sprint. He crossed the finish line in 56:02.5, finishing about 22 seconds behind the winner and 26 secondsahead of the ninth-placed swimmer.
Germany’s Florian Wellbrock completed a golden double after adding the 5km title to his 10km victory. He won the race in 55:40.2.
Hungary’s David Betlehem claimed the silver medal for the second consecutive race, finishing in 55:42.6, while Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri produced a strong late surge to overtake France’s Sacha Velly and secure bronze in 55:44.7.
Top Eight – Men’s 5km Open Water
| Position | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florian Wellbrock | Germany | 55:40.2 |
| 2 | David Betlehem | Hungary | 55:42.6 |
| 3 | Gregorio Paltrinieri | Italy | 55:44.7 |
| 4 | Sacha Velly | France | 55:51.5 |
| 5 | Domenico Acerenza | Italy | 55:54.4 |
| 6 | Marcello Guidi | Italy | 55:54.9 |
| 7 | Kristóf Rasovszky | Hungary | 55:55.8 |
| 8 | Alkis Kynigakis | Greece | 56:02.5 |