David Heron Wins U.S. 10K National Title

2021 U.S. Open Water National Championships

David Heron rose from 4th in 2019 to win the U.S. National 10K title this morning in Fort Myers, Florida. Heron took over the lead heading into the 6th and final lap.

Here’s a look at the early results, courtesy of USA Swimming on social media:

Open Water Men’s 10K Finish Order:

  1. David Heron, 2:05.24
  2. Brennan Gravley, 2:05.25
  3. T.C. Smith, 2:06.25

Full results are not yet available, but we will update as they are published. Per USA Swimming’s twitter, Joey Tepper led for four laps before Heron went by him during the fifth lap. Brennan Gravley swam near the front pretty much the entire way, sitting inside the top three at the finish of every lap from two to six. He was sitting third heading into the final lap, but passed T.C. Smith for second in the final loop. Gravley very nearly ran down Heron for the win, with the two coming in only about a second apart.

Olympic berths are already locked in. The only American man competing will be Jordan Wilimovsky, who was 5th at 2019 Worlds in the 10K. (Heron also competed at Worlds, but was 25th with only the top 10 earning Olympic bids).

The event will serve, though, as a selection meet for the U.S. National team and the perks and funding that go along with that status. The entire top 5 in this 10K will earn 2021 National Team status through October. That means Heron, Gravley, and Smith are all locked onto the National Team, and two more swimmers have also booked their spots. We’ll update as more results become available.

This week’s meet also serves as a selection event for the 2021 World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships, set for August 13-15 in Victoria, Seychelles. The two highest-placing finishers within the age bracket will qualify for the World Juniors 10K. Here’s a look at the age brackets and qualifying events for World Juniors:

2021 World Junior Open Water Championships – Selection Criteria

  • 5K Event
    • Ages 15-16 as of December 31, 2021 (Athletes born in 2005 or 2006)
    • Two highest-placing eligible swimmers from the 5K event on Saturday
  • 7.5K Event
    • Ages 17-18 as of December 31, 2021 (Athletes born in 2003 or 2004)
    • Two highest-placing eligible swimmers from the 7.5K event on Sunday
  • 10K Event
    • Ages 19-20 as of December 31, 2021 (Athletes born in 2001 or 2002)
    • Two highest-placing eligible swimmers from the 10K event on Friday

In This Story

18
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

18 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Notaswimmer
3 years ago

Worth noting that Joey Tepper, 18 year old Tennessee freshman, finished 4th, and is 18&Under national champ.

Ol' Longhorn
3 years ago

Kieran Smith gets 10th. Dude has some range.

ChefJake
3 years ago

What do you think a dinner at the Gravley household looks like to have 2 kids in the top 5?

3rd Gravley
Reply to  ChefJake
3 years ago

A lot of carbs…

Bill
Reply to  ChefJake
3 years ago

Lots and lots and lots of laps at Sandpiper is what they have.

GOOBERGOOBERGOOBERGOOBERGOOBERGOOBERGOOBER
Reply to  ChefJake
3 years ago

Big plates and no leftovers

Sharon Robb
3 years ago

It’s ridiculous USA Swimming has yet to post the open water results from today! I asked Don Henshaw of GCST and he said it’s up to them to post the results from their chip timing scorer. I have to believe no timer is that slow. It is now 5:06 p.m. and I would love to write an opening day story. Hopefully, USA Swimming folks are not working a half-day. Thank you for your preliminary report, it is something. At times, it really is frustrating covering swimming.

What's up?
Reply to  Sharon Robb
3 years ago

Have the start lists (psych sheets) even been published???

Swim Twin
Reply to  Sharon Robb
3 years ago

Completely agree. Are there start lists somewhere at least?

Swim Twin
Reply to  Sharon Robb
3 years ago

And thank you SwimSwam – after scouring the USAS website to no avail, I knew where to go for some info …

KEVINM
Reply to  Swim Twin
3 years ago

regarding results… this isn’t cut and dry, open water, going off of order of finish, sometimes video review, rough conditions, nobody’s perfect… been there, done that. sometimes it takes a while to get it right. last thing you want to do is have to do a “v2″… been there, done that. coming from a fellow race director, these guys do a great job and are a class act. safe racing the rest of the weekend everyone

thezwimmer
3 years ago

The men were slower than the women. Don’t know if I’ve ever seen that before.

Anonymous
Reply to  thezwimmer
3 years ago

The wave and wind conditions picked up for the men’s race that began at the conclusion of the women’s. That was a key factor in the slower times overall.

thezwimmer
Reply to  Anonymous
3 years ago

That makes sense (I had been under the impression that the men started first, as was the case for some of the junior races where they go 5 minutes apart).

We stink 😞
Reply to  thezwimmer
3 years ago

We stink 😞

Last edited 3 years ago by We stink 😞
GATOR CHOMP 🐊
3 years ago

Will results be available after the entire meet has been concluded?

Last edited 3 years ago by GATOR CHOMP 🐊
Sharon Robb
Reply to  GATOR CHOMP 🐊
3 years ago

A little update the results were just loaded on the USA Swimming events page!!!!

GATOR CHOMP 🐊
Reply to  Sharon Robb
3 years ago

Thanks!

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

Read More »