MIAMI, Florida, October 3. A little rain did nothing to dampen the spirit of South Florida's most ardent and talented swimmers at the Nike Swim Miami on Sunday, Sept. 30. In only its third year, the event has grown to nearly 600 swimmers.
An all-star field of competitors highlighted this year's event, as swimmers chose from one of the following races: an 800-yard Sprint Challenge, The Miami mile, a 5K, and a 10K swim presented by Aquavee, in addition to the increasingly popular K-9 Krawl world championships (a human-dog duathlon that consists of a 200-yard swim and 1/4 mile run), The K-9 Krawl featured 15 competitors this year as Chuck Floyd and his Lab Casey took home the title.
Among this year's racers were Olympians Gary Hall Jr and Sr (USA), Mike Cavic (USA), George Bovell (Trinidad and Tobago), Ricky Monasterio (Venezuela), the overall winner of the 10K, and more. Scott Kaufman (runner-up in the 10K) a current member of the U.S. National Open Water Team was also in attendance.
One of the more uplifting stories of the event, Charlie Plascon, who is a blind 64-year-old man, completed the 5K swim with a guide. That effort gave Plascon a standing ovation from the thousand spectators as he crossed the finish line.
The Nike Swim Miami also had quite the international feel to it, especially as spectators waved their countries native colors to cheer on racers from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Spain to name countries that featured more than one participant.
A USA Swimming and Florida Gold Coast (FGC) Sanctioned event, the Nike Swim Miami also features the Junior Olympics for FGC, for which the team title was won by the Pembroke Pines Comets.
"We have built a competitive race that still allows the casual swimmers to gain a sense of accomplishment, and it takes place in of the greatest destination cities in the world," said race director Jonathan Strauss.
This year's Nike Swim Miami donated a portion of race proceeds to the National Diabetes Foundation on behalf of Gary Hall Jr.'s The Race Club and a Miami-based chapter of Rotary International, one of the world's largest service organizations.
Special thanks to Nike Swim Miami for contributing this report.
Overall Results:
10K Men
1. Ricky Monasterio
2. Scott Kaufmann
3. Henry Olano
10K Women
1. Brittany Williford
2. Sarah Rice
3. Gail Rice
5K Women
1. Katelyn Lawson
2. Melissa Fernandez
3. Bianca Muniz
5K Men
1. Ricardo Valdivia
2. Jorge Anillo
3. Ronnie Benjamin
Mile Women
1. Rebecca Bello
2. Alex Catania
3. Jennifer Fernandez
Mile Men
1. Leonardo Martins
2. David Tirabassi
3. Stephano Miranda
800 Women
1. Lucila Gambino
2. Erin Moore
3. Lisa Olmos
800 Men
1. Andrew Farrell
2. Carlos Dolabella
3. Kurt Weinants
