Ana Marcela Cunha

Ana Marcela Jesus Soares da Cunha (born 23 March 1992) is a Brazilian swimmer who specializes in the open water swimming marathon.[1] She is considered one of the best open water swimmers in history, having obtained 14 medals in FINA World Aquatics Championships (including seven gold medals as of 2022). She has also received FINA’s Female World Open Water Swimmer Of The Year award six times (2010, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019).[2] Her countless achievements are comparable only to those of Larisa Ilchenko, another multi-medalist in World Championships.[3]

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Jesus Soares and the second or paternal family name is Cunha.
Ana Marcela Cunha
Cunha at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Full nameAna Marcela Jesus Soares da Cunha
National teamBrazil
Born (1992-03-23) 23 March 1992
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Height1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesOpen water marathon
ClubUnisanta
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  Brazil
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place2020 Tokyo10 km open water
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2011 Shanghai25 km open water
Gold medal – first place2015 Kazan25 km open water
Gold medal – first place2017 Budapest25 km open water
Gold medal – first place2019 Gwangju5 km open water
Gold medal – first place2019 Gwangju25 km open water
Gold medal – first place2022 Budapest5 km open water
Gold medal – first place2022 Budapest25 km open water
Silver medal – second place2013 Barcelona10 km open water
Silver medal – second place2015 KazanTeam open water
Bronze medal – third place2013 Barcelona5 km open water
Bronze medal – third place2015 Kazan10 km open water
Bronze medal – third place2017 Budapest5 km open water
Bronze medal – third place2017 Budapest10 km open water
Bronze medal – third place2022 Budapest10 km open water
Bronze medal – third place2023 Fukuoka5 km open water
World Open Water Championships
Bronze medal – third place2010 Roberval5 km open water
World Beach Games
Gold medal – first place2019 Doha5 km open water
Pan Pacific Championships
Bronze medal – third place2018 Tokyo10 km open water
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2019 Lima10 km open water
South American Games
Gold medal – first place2006 Buenos Aires5 km open water
Gold medal – first place2006 Buenos Aires10 km open water
Gold medal – first place2010 Medellín5 km open water
Gold medal – first place2014 Santiago3 km team
Gold medal – first place2022 Asuncion10 km open water
Silver medal – second place2010 Medellín10 km open water
Bronze medal – third place2014 Santiago10 km open water

Cunha won the gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the women's marathon 10 km.[4][5][6]

Career

At only 14 years old, she collected two gold medals at the 5 km and 10 km marathon at the 2006 South American Games in Buenos Aires.[7]

In 2005, she was able to reach second place in Travessia dos Fortes (the most important competition of the aquatic marathon calendar in Brazil).[8] Subsequently, became champion in 2006 and 2011.[9]

Cunha qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, after placing tenth at the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships in Seville, Spain.[10] She became the youngest-ever swimmer to participate in the inaugural women's 10 km open water marathon, against a field of twenty-four other competitors, including her teammate Poliana Okimoto, South African amputee Natalie du Toit, British duo Keri-Anne Payne and Cassandra Patten, and sixteen-year-old American Chloe Sutton. Cunha finished in a close race for fifth place, with a total time of 1:59:36.8, approximately one second ahead of Switzerland's Swann Oberson, yet nine seconds behind winner Larisa Ilchenko of Russia.[11]

Winning race at the 2015 World Champs

At the 2009 FINA World Championships in Rome, Italy, Cunha finished twenty-second in the 10 km marathon, with a time of 2:02:06.4. The following year, she reinforced her lead in the FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup circuit, by dominating all eight meets of the series.[12] Because of her repeated successes, Cunha was selected as FINA's best female open water swimmer of the year.[13]

She won the gold medal at the 5 km marathon tied with Andreina Pinto, at the 2010 South American Games in Medellín.[14] She also got the silver medal in the 10 km marathon.[15]

At the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai, Cunha won the gold medal in the women's 25 km marathon, with a time of 5:29:22.9.[16] Despite of her first world championship success, Cunha nearly missed out of the final slot for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, as she placed eleventh in the 10 km marathon, with a slowest time of 2:02:22.2, four seconds behind Spain's Erika Villaécija García.[17] Cunha also placed seventh in the 5 km marathon with a time of[18]

In 2012, Cunha decided to withdraw from the FINA Olympic Marathon Swim Qualifier, held in Setubal, Portugal, to focus on her competitive career for the FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup circuit. She dominated the series by successfully defending her title for the second time, amassing a total of 160 points and four victories in eight different meets.[19]

At the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Cunha handed an entire medal haul for the Brazilians in the 5 km marathon, as she snatched the bronze in 56:44.4.[20][21] Three days later, she won the silver medal in the 10 km marathon, with her teammate Poliana Okimoto winning the gold medal.[22][23] Ending her participation, she was in the 25 km marathon, where she tried to defend her 2011 title, but finished in fifth place, 4 seconds of the race winner.[24]

At the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Cunha won a bronze medal in the 10 km marathon.[25][26] Two days later, she won the silver medal in the Mixed 5km Team Event.[27] On 1 August, she became two-time World Champion of the 25 km marathon. At 23, Ana Marcela Cunha became the Brazilian woman with more medals won at the World Championships of Olympic sports.[28][29]

Returning to the Olympic open water marathon in 2016, Cunha was deemed the race's favorite in previews, especially with the advantage of the Olympics being in her home country.[30] However, she was unable to live up to the pressure of winning at home, finishing in tenth, while blaming the underperformance on missing the in-race nutrition.[31]

At the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, Cunha won two bronze medals in the 5 km marathon[32][33] and in the 10 km marathon.[34][35] On 21 July, she became three-time World Champion of the 25 km marathon.[36][37] She also participated at the Mixed 5km Team Event, along with Viviane Jungblut, Allan do Carmo and Fernando Ponte, finishing 6th.[38][39]

In 2019, she won the gold medal in the women's marathon 10 kilometres at the 2019 Pan American Games held in Lima, Peru.[40] She also claimed gold at the ANOC World Beach Games in the women's open water 5 km swim.

At the 2020 Summer Olympics, in the Women's marathon 10 km, she won the gold medal.[41][42][43]

At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary, she won her second gold medal in a row in the Women's 5 km open water, with a time of 57:52.9.[44] She also won bronze in the Women's 10 km.[45] In the Women's 25 km event she became a five-time world champion this year, with four titles in a row.[46]

Awards and honours

Personal life

Ana is a lesbian. Her father was a swimmer and her mother is a former gymnast, who always supported her.[48]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ana Marcela Cunha". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  2. Munatones, Steven (7 February 2020). "Ana Marcela Cunha Awarded FINA's World Open Water Swimmer Of The Year". World Open Water Swimming Association. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  3. Por que Ana Marcela Cunha é a melhor do mundo pela 6a vez
  4. "Brazil's Cunha wins women's Olympic marathon swimming". AP NEWS. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  5. "Ana Marcela Cunha: Brazil's queen of marathon swimming". Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  6. "Olympics: Ana Marcela Cunha Claims Gold in 10K; 2016 Champ van Rouwendaal Earns Silver". Swimming World News. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  7. "Record number of 4,200 contestants". CBDA (in Portuguese). 24 November 2006. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  8. "Record number of 4,200 contestants". CBDA (in Portuguese). 24 November 2006. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  9. "Travessia dos Fortes gather over two thousand athletes in Copacabana". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). 31 March 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  10. Munatones, Steven (3 May 2008). "FINA World Open Water Championships: Dreams Come True". Swimming World. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  11. "Women's Marathon 10km". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  12. "Ana Marcela Cunha, Fran Crippen Win Cancun Stops of FINA 10K Marathon World Cup". Swimming World. 11 October 2010. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  13. "2010 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year". Open Water Source. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  14. "Organization denies appeal, and Ana Marcela divides Medellín's gold with Venezuelan". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). 24 March 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  15. "In new duel against Venezuelan, Ana Marcela loses and is silver in the South American". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). 25 March 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  16. "No Olympics, but gold in the 25km". FINA. 23 July 2011. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  17. "Brasileiros decepcionam nos 10km da maratona aquática" [Brazilians disappointed in the 10km marathon swimming] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  18. "Ana Marcela comes 7th in the 5km, and still will swim the 25 km; Okimoto is 11th". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). 22 July 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  19. "Spyridon Giannotis, Ana Marcela Cunha earn wins on FINA 10km World Cup". Swimming World. 17 October 2012. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  20. "USA's Haley Anderson Captures 5K at Worlds". Swimming World. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  21. Kempf, Andrew. "Anderson of US, Olympic champ Mellouli win 5K". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  22. "Poliana and Ana Marcela make history and won the gold and silver medals in the 10km" (in Portuguese). SPORTV. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  23. "Results of the 10 km Marathon Swimming at 2013 Barcelona". OmegaTiming. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  24. "Ana Marcela can't win the second title in the 25km and stays out of the podium". UOL (in Portuguese). 27 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  25. "Ana Marcela Cunha wins bronze in the 10 km marathon and guarantees the Olympic vacancy". R7 (in Portuguese). 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 30 July 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  26. "Results of the 10 km marathon at 2015 Kazan". OmegaTiming. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 13 February 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  27. "Results of the Mixed 5km Team at 2015 Kazan". OmegaTiming. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  28. "Ana Marcela faces the sun, rain and 5h-proof and is the world twice champion of the 25km". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). 1 August 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  29. "Results of the 25 km marathon at 2015 Kazan". OmegaTiming. 1 August 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  30. Why Ana Marcela Cunha Will Win The Olympic 10K In Rio
  31. Sportv
  32. "Repeated! In the beating of the hand, Ana Marcela takes her second bronze in the Worlds". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). 19 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  33. "Results of the 5 km marathon at 2017 Budapest". OmegaTiming. 19 July 2017. Archived from the original on 27 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  34. "Ana Marcela arrives tied with Italian and wins the bronze in the World". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). 16 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  35. "Results of the 10 km marathon at 2017 Budapest". OmegaTiming. 16 July 2017. Archived from the original on 20 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  36. "From "bomb" to three: with different start and snake attack in the last corner, Ana Marcela is gold". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). 21 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  37. "Results of the 25 km marathon at 2017 Budapest". OmegaTiming. 21 July 2017. Archived from the original on 22 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  38. "Brazilian quartet is sixth in the relay race; France takes another gold". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). 20 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  39. "Results of the Mixed 5km Team at 2017 Budapest". OmegaTiming. 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 27 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  40. "Women's marathon 10 kilometres" (PDF). 2019 Pan American Games. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  41. "Brazil's Cunha wins women's Olympic marathon swimming". AP NEWS. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  42. "Ana Marcela Cunha: Brazil's queen of marathon swimming". Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  43. "Olympics: Ana Marcela Cunha Claims Gold in 10K; 2016 Champ van Rouwendaal Earns Silver". Swimming World News. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  44. "Final results" (PDF). omegatiming.com. 27 June 2022.
  45. Ana Marcela Cunha conquista o bronze na prova de 10 km no Mundial
  46. Ana Marcela é pentacampeã mundial dos 25km de águas abertas
  47. "Tokyo Olympics: Top 10 moments". FINA. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  48. Pinheiro, Raquel (11 September 2021). "Ana Marcela Cunha sobre sua representatividade: "Mulher, nordestina, lésbica" | Entrevista". Revista Quem. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
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