Australia has had an encouraging start to the Fina World Championships in Kazan with Jess Walker finishing fifth and Melissa Gorman seventh in the women's 5km open water swimming event on the Kazanka River near Kazan, Russia.
They were well placed throughout in a race won by defending champion, Olympic silver medallist Hayley Anderson of the USA, who timed her finish to perfection on Saturday to overtake European champion Sharon Van Rouwendaal from the Netherlands in a frantic final 500m sprint to the finish.
It is Walker's best ever international result and her selection came after Australian champion Chelsea Gubecka chose not to swim the 5km.
Gubecka won the Australian championship, with Walker second, but withdrew after qualifying for the 10km, elevating Walker to a place on the team.
"I am very, very excited with that fifth placing, I certainly didn't expect it," Walker said.
"I found out in March that I was on the team so it's been a short training block for me but it has obviously worked well, I am very happy with that result.
"You only get this kind of opportunity every so often and to think that I thought the dream was over and then I was given a second chance I didn't want to waste it.
"Coming into the last kilometre something just switched and I started to feel good again."
Two-time Olympian and 2009 world champion Gorman was in the top four for most of the swim but couldn't lift in the closing stages.
"It was a good race, I just didn't have the change of pace at the finish after a pretty good start when I swam my way into a nice position.
"I copped a few along the way but recomposed myself and got myself back into a good place but when they put the hammer down at the end I just didn't have the change of speed."
In the men's race, Olympian Jarrod Poort finished 20th, with debutant Sam Sheppard 32nd in a field of 72.
South African Chad Ho won the men's race ahead of Germany's Rob Muffels. Matteo Furlan of Italy won the bronze medal.
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