Australia's Gorman wins 5km swim

Practice makes perfect and for Melissa Gorman it took the perfect finish to dethrone
an open water legend on Tuesday.

Gorman claimed the 5km open water world title at Ostia beach after prevailing in a
photo-finish with Russian superstar Larisa Ilchenko.
Ilchenko was undefeated over 5km events since 2004 and also the Olympic champion
over 10km.
But it took an heroic swim by Gorman who led from start to finish and withstood the
Russian's final surge to secure the gold medal.
"It's an amazing feeling, to win a world championship gold medal is something I have
dreamt about," Gorman told AAP.
"Larisa is an amazing competitor in open water. To come away with a win against her
is pretty special.
"I did not come here expecting to win a gold medal at all ... in the back of my mind
I just hoped I would win a medal."
Gorman led throughout the race until Ilchenko made her trademark move in the final
200m.
But the Russian swung and missed with her first attempt to touch the finishing board
while Gorman planted her right hand immediately onto the touch pad.
Gorman, competing in her first international 5km race, had practiced her finish
prior to the race.
"In the warm up I had a few practice runs at the finishing touch," said Gorman.
"The first time I missed the touch pad completely. I did it again until I got it
right and had worked out the best way to finish.
"It was definitely a sprint finish coming down to the touch. Even after the touch I
did not know if I was first or second."
Gorman is the first Australian woman to win an open water swimming world
championship since Melissa Cunningham won the 25km race in 1994.
Among the first to congratulate Gorman was open water trailblazer Shelley
Taylor-Smith, Australia's first open water world champion in 1991.
Gorman's mother Kerrie also swiftly made her way onto the beach, along with brother
Slade - one of three adopted siblings.
Gorman will be back in the water on Wednesday for the 10km event, the schedule
reorganised following storm damage to the course last week.
"To tell you the truth I have not even thought about it yet," she said of the 10km
race.
"I'm just way too excited about the 5km."