Paula Otero reaches the ‘top 10’ in the 5 km in open water at the European Championship

The Spanish swimmer Paula Otero finished in eleventh place in the 5 kilometer open water test of the 2026 European Aquatic Sports Championships, which is being held in Paris (France), less than two seconds away from the ‘top 10’, and Candela Sánchez entered the top 15.

The 22-year-old Catalan, who is a candidate for the medals in the 3 km ‘knockout’ this Friday, was eleventh in the test held this Wednesday in the Sena, 1.83 seconds behind the ‘top 10’. Further back, in 14th place, the also Spanish Candela Sánchez entered, while Clara Martínez de Salinas withdrew before the start of the test due to physical problems.

The gold medal went to the Italian swimmer Ginevra Taddeucci, who already won the 10 km, while the tight podium was made up of the Hungarian Viktoria Mihalyvari-Farkas, silver like this Tuesday, and the Italian Barbara Pozzobon.

In the men’s category, Mario Méndez was eleventh, although he had no real chance of being among the top 10, and Mateo García finished 23rd. The winner and gold medal was the German Florian Wellbrock, also achieving the double in 5 and 10 km, dominating the test from the beginning and withstanding the final attack of the Hungarian David Bethlehem, who took the silver. The bronze went to the Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri.