Out at the Rowing/Canoeing Park, the atmosphere was surprisingly casual. One little grandstand full of people, Chinese rock music playing, and 25 women diving off a jetty for the start. Since they weren't swimming in lanes, they had huge black numbers inked on their arms. Camera crews in boats got you as close to the swimmers as in the Water Cube. The online commentator mentioned that Russia's Larisa Ilchenko was doing what she is known for — lurking just off the pace, drafting, drafting, then sprinting for the lead at the end. It worked, and she won the first gold, with a time of 1:59:27.7. Great Britain took silver and bronze. The U.S.'s Chloe Sutton finished 23rd. The Chinese swimmer was DNF. There was a patter of applause, and that was it. History sometimes get made very quietly.
Out at the Rowing/Canoeing Park, the atmosphere was surprisingly casual. One little grandstand full of people, Chinese rock music playing, and 25 women diving off a jetty for the start. Since they weren't swimming in lanes, they had huge black numbers inked on their arms. Camera crews in boats got you as close to the swimmers as in the Water Cube. The online commentator mentioned that Russia's Larisa Ilchenko was doing what she is known for — lurking just off the pace, drafting, drafting, then sprinting for the lead at the end. It worked, and she won the first gold, with a time of 1:59:27.7. Great Britain took silver and bronze. The U.S.'s Chloe Sutton finished 23rd. The Chinese swimmer was DNF. There was a patter of applause, and that was it. History sometimes get made very quietly.
