Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon 10 kilometre

{{main|Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Qualification}}Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) was permitted to enter a maximum of two qualified athletes in the event. World Aquatics provided a qualification pathway to fulfil their quota of at least 22 competing athletes. Athletes were selected in the following order:{{cite web |title=Qualification System – Games of the XXXIII Olympiad – Marathon Swimming |url=https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Olympic-Games/Paris-2024/Paris2024-QS-FINA-MarathonSwimming.pdf |access-date=12 November 2022 |publisher=World Aquatics |archive-date=27 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127220813/https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Olympic-Games/Paris-2024/Paris2024-QS-FINA-MarathonSwimming.pdf |url-status=live }}

• The three medalists in the 10 km races at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships
• The top thirteen swimmers in the 10 km races at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships
• One representative from each World Aquatics continent (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania){{Efn|If a continental place was not used, the slot was reallocated to the fastest unqualified swimmer at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships.}}
• One representative from the host nation (France) if not qualified by other means{{Efn|If a French swimmer already qualified, their slot was reallocated to the fastest unqualified swimmer at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships.}}

In addition to the athletes invited to fulfil the quota, any athletes who achieved the Olympic Qualification Time in either the 800 or 1500 metres freestyle were invited to compete.

Germany's Florian Wellbrock was the defending Olympic champion in the event, and he also won gold at the 2023 World Championships. Hungary's Kristóf Rasovszky was the defending Olympic silver medallist.{{Cite web |last=Newberry |first=Paul |date=2024-08-09 |title=Kristóf Rasovszky of Hungary wins Olympic men's marathon to complete swimming events in the Seine |url=https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-open-water-seine-c954c67c953e53b719cca886153fe691 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225201541/https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-open-water-seine-c954c67c953e53b719cca886153fe691 |archive-date=2024-12-25 |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Associated Press |language=en}} Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri won the event at the 2022 World Championships and had won six gold medals at open water events at the European Championships. He also won silver in the 1500 metres freestyle event earlier in the Games. Ireland's Daniel Wiffen won the 800 metres freestyle event earlier in the Olympics, and won bronze in the 1500 freestyle.{{Cite web |last=Penland |first=Spencer |date=2024-08-07 |title=Paris 2024 Olympics OW Preview: Defending World and Olympic Champs Set for Women's 10k Battle |url=https://swimswam.com/paris-2024-olympics-ow-preview-defending-world-and-olympic-champs-set-for-womens-10k-battle/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918223252/https://swimswam.com/paris-2024-olympics-ow-preview-defending-world-and-olympic-champs-set-for-womens-10k-battle/ |archive-date=2024-09-18 |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}}

David Johnston of the US withdrew from the event after suffering from COVID-19 during the pool events that happened earlier in the week,{{Cite web |last=Overend |first=Riley |date=2024-07-30 |title=U.S. Olympic Swimmers David Johnston, Luke Whitlock Test Positive for COVID-19 in Paris |url=https://swimswam.com/u-s-olympic-swimmers-david-johnston-luke-whitlock-test-positive-for-covid-19-in-paris/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218234754/https://swimswam.com/u-s-olympic-swimmers-david-johnston-luke-whitlock-test-positive-for-covid-19-in-paris/ |archive-date=18 December 2024 |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Keith |first=Braden |date=2024-08-07 |title=Open Water Swimmers Take to the Seine on Wednesday after Tuesday's Training Cancellation |url=https://swimswam.com/open-water-swimmers-take-to-the-seine-on-wednesday-after-tuesdays-training-cancellation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912111842/https://swimswam.com/open-water-swimmers-take-to-the-seine-on-wednesday-after-tuesdays-training-cancellation/ |archive-date=2024-09-12 |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} and Sweden's Victor Johansson also withdrew due to his doctor's recommendation.{{Cite web |last=Pelshaw |first=Anya |date=2024-08-08 |title=Victor Johansson Of Sweden Will Not Race Men's 10K In Seine After Doctor's Recommendation |url=https://swimswam.com/victor-johansson-of-sweden-will-not-race-mens-10k-in-seine-after-doctors-recommendation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216045936/https://swimswam.com/victor-johansson-of-sweden-will-not-race-mens-10k-in-seine-after-doctors-recommendation/ |archive-date=2024-12-16 |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}}

France spent €1.2–1.6 billion to clean up the Seine for the Olympic triathlons and open water swimming events,{{Efn|Sources give conflicting figures between 1.2 to 1.6 billion euros.{{Cite news |last=Omer |first=Nimo |date=2024-07-31 |title=Wednesday briefing: Where France’s €1.6bn plan to clean up the Seine for the Olympics went wrong |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/31/wednesday-briefing-first-edition-paris-olympics-river-seine |access-date=2025-04-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=Paris |first=Vivienne Walt / |date=2023-03-13 |title=Inside the Billion-Dollar Effort to Clean Up the Seine |url=https://time.com/6261729/seine-clean-up-paris-olympics-2024/ |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=TIME |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Lauzun |first=Hélène de |date=2024-07-22 |title=€1.4 Billion Down the Drain: Paris Spends Big To Make Seine Swimmable |url=https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/e1-4-billion-down-the-drain-paris-spends-big-to-make-seine-swimmable/ |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=europeanconservative.com |language=en-US |archive-date=6 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206040146/https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/e1-4-billion-down-the-drain-paris-spends-big-to-make-seine-swimmable/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2024-07-30 |title=France spent £1,200,000,000 to clean up the Seine - but why is it still dirty |url=https://metro.co.uk/2024/07/30/france-spent-1-200-000-000-clean-seine-still-dirty-21325654/ |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=Metro |language=en}}}} but heavy rain in the lead-up to the Olympics caused bacteria levels to increase.{{Cite news |last=Massy-Beresford |first=Helen |date=2024-08-02 |title=No, the Seine Cleanup Wasn’t a Failure |url=https://www.wired.com/story/no-the-seine-cleanup-wasnt-a-failure/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321034058/https://www.wired.com/story/no-the-seine-cleanup-wasnt-a-failure/ |archive-date=2025-03-21 |access-date=2025-04-04 |work=Wired magazine |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Emma |date=2024-08-06 |title=Paris 2024: Marathon swimming goes ahead after Seine concerns |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/c3ejj29exzjo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240824144900/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/c3ejj29exzjo |archive-date=24 August 2024 |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} Earlier in the Olympics, two consecutive training sessions for the triathlons were cancelled,{{Cite web |last=Drury |first=Sam |date=2024-07-28 |title=Olympic triathlon: River Seine pollution forces scrapping of training |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cn05nxv2z9po |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250315162702/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cn05nxv2z9po |archive-date=2025-03-15 |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} and after the triathlon events took place a few of the competitors reported infections caused by E. coli—a bacteria that was being monitored in the Seine.{{Cite web |last=Keith |first=Braden |date=2024-08-07 |title=Open Water Swimmers Take to the Seine on Wednesday after Tuesday's Training Cancellation |url=https://swimswam.com/open-water-swimmers-take-to-the-seine-on-wednesday-after-tuesdays-training-cancellation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912111842/https://swimswam.com/open-water-swimmers-take-to-the-seine-on-wednesday-after-tuesdays-training-cancellation/ |archive-date=2024-09-12 |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} The Paris 2024 organisers later released a statement saying "Paris 2024 wishes to remind everyone that the health and wellbeing of athletes is our top priority".

A session in the river was scheduled to take place on August 6, when the athletes would practice and acclimatize to the river's conditions. However, it was cancelled hours beforehand due to high enterococci levels.{{Cite web |last=Keith |first=Braden |date=2024-08-06 |title=World Aquatics Cancels Seine Training Session; More Triathletes Register GI Illnesses |url=https://swimswam.com/world-aquatics-cancels-seine-training-session-more-triathletes-register-gi-illnesses/ |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US |archive-date=9 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909083558/https://swimswam.com/world-aquatics-cancels-seine-training-session-more-triathletes-register-gi-illnesses/ |url-status=live }} A day after, on August 7, the acclimatization session went ahead, and on August 9 the race took place.

The race consisted of six 1.67 kilometer loops between Pont Alexandre III and Pont de l’Alma. At the end of every loop, at Pont Alexandre III, there was a feeding station. When travelling from Pont Alexandre III to Pont de l’Alma, the athletes were swimming downstream, but on the way back they were swimming upstream.{{Cite web |last=Lepesant |first=Anne |date=2024-08-08 |title=2024 Paris Olympics: Women's Marathon Swimming Live Results |url=https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-womens-marathon-swimming-live-results/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225165700/https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-womens-marathon-swimming-live-results/ |archive-date=25 December 2024 |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} After the race, Ireland's Daniel Wiffen stated that he had to swim at a pace faster than approximately 1:12 per 100 metres to be able to swim forward against he current.{{Cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlazjJiAfO0 |title=Olympic Champion Dan Wiffen Breaks Down Epic Win in 800 Free |date=2024-08-15 |type=Video |publisher=SwimSwam |time=8:08.00 |access-date=4 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823125454/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlazjJiAfO0 |archive-date=23 August 2024 |url-status=live}}

Hungary's Kristóf Rasovszky took first place off the start, but Wellbrock overtook two thirds into the downstream leg of the first lap and maintained his lead until the feeding station at the end of the first lap. Rasovszky once again led for the downstream portion of the second lap, and he maintained his lead until the end of lap three. Wellbrock took the lead again into lap four, but Rasovszky once again overtook him during the upstream portion.{{Cite web |last=Lepesant |first=Anne |date=2024-08-09 |title=2024 Paris Olympics: Men's Marathon Swimming Live Results |url=https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-mens-marathon-swimming-live-results/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225190015/https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-mens-marathon-swimming-live-results/ |archive-date=2024-12-25 |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}}

During the final feeding station, going into the final lap, Wellbrock swam wide around the bend, which relegated him from second to seventh. He was unable to swim himself back into a podium position for the rest of the race. Going into the sixth and final lap, Rasovszky was first, followed by Germany's Oliver Klemet. Rasovszky and Klemet broke away from the rest of the swimmers until the final upstream portion, when they were briefly caught by the chasing pack led by Hungary's Dávid Betlehem and Italy's Domenico Acerenza. Rasovszky and Klemet sprinted in what Reuters called a "gruelling slog" to the finish,{{Cite web |date=2024-08-09 |title=Swimming-Hungary's Rasovszky wins men's 10km marathon gold |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/olympics/swimming-hungarys-rasovszky-wins-mens-10km-marathon-gold-2024-08-09/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Reuters}} and Rasovszky beat Klemet by 2.1 seconds to finish first with a time of 1:50:52.7; Klemet finished second with 1:50:54.8.{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Andy |date=2024-08-09 |title=Paris Olympics 2024: Hector Pardoe sixth as Kristof Rasovszky wins open water marathon |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cze53l5p5ero |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912051539/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cze53l5p5ero |archive-date=2024-09-12 |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} Betlehem beat Acerenza by 0.6 seconds for third, finishing in 1:51:09.0; Acerenza finished in 1:51:09.6 for fourth.

After the race, Rasovszky said that he felt like his training with Betlehem in the Danube River in Hungary gave them an advantage. Rasovszky, Betlehem and Wiffen all expressed a lack of concern for the water quality issues after the race.

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions 10 km Marathon Men}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics - Men's marathon}}

Men's 10000 metre marathon

Olympics

Category:Men's events at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:2024 in men's swimming