Sports

Money, branding redefine college sports for student

Kris Trinidad plays defensive end for Old Dominion University’s Division I football team, where he tallied 45 tackles and 5.5 sacks last season. He’s also building his brand thanks to new laws that allow student-athletes to ink endorsement deals and get paid by the university. “I feel like it’s teaching young guys how to be […]

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1 month ago

May 1, 2025

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Money, branding redefine college sports for student

“I feel like it’s teaching young guys how to be more marketable and prepare themselves for their future,” Trinidad said. “It gives them opportunities to express their true selves amongst the community.”

Trinidad is part of the growing class of student-athletes learning to navigate a new world of college athletics, one where player statistics, social media presence and sponsorship potential increasingly all matter.

The Rise of the Student-Athlete

The NCAA has allowed student-athletes since 2021 to profit from their name, image and likeness, or NIL.

The financial shift and its impact on college athletics have been dramatic. College athletes went from landing full scholarships and cost-of-living expenses to earning an estimated $917 million in the first year NIL was enacted, according to Icon Source.

Rayquan Smith

New legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2024 opened the door for direct payments from schools. This shift is backed by a legal settlement known as House v. NCAA, which will permit schools to allocate up to $20 million annually to pay student-athletes. The case argued current, and even former student-athletes deserve a share of revenue generated by television deals, licensing agreements and even ticket sales. It recently received conditional approval from NCAA governance. Virginia Commonwealth University student-athletes will be paid starting in the 2025-2026 year, with a projected $5 million allocation, according to CBS6 News.

The biggest NIL sums still go to marquee names. First-year Duke University power forward Cooper Flagg has a NIL valuation upwards of $4 million, according to 107.5 The Fan sports website.

However, players of all levels can find opportunities to build their brands. Former Virginia State University running back Rayquan Smith was dubbed “King of NIL” for receiving over 100 NIL deals, according to The Virginia Statesman.

Not Amateurism Anymore

Brendan Dwyer, a professor at VCU’s Center for Sports Leadership, said the current NIL model is not sustainable for athletic departments.

Brendan Dwyer

“If all of a sudden they have to go out and find money through NIL to pay their athletes, it comes at the expense of so many other things for the athletic department,” Dwyer said.

Dwyer thinks schools are heading toward a professional model, and schools and athletes should be prepared. Although it might create other issues, employing athletes could be a solution.

“If you take a step back and you watch what happens on a Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, or you watch what happened last weekend in San Antonio, those aren’t amateur sports,” Dwyer said. “That’s professionalism.”

Community, Coaches and the Changing Game

Coaches also are evolving in the new era. VCU recently hired Phil Martelli Jr. as its new head coach and he is stepping into the role at a transformative time. Martelli led Bryant University to an America East title and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in March.

“The revenue sharing and NIL stuff is not going anywhere,” Martelli said. “It’s become a major part of this, the transfer portals become a major part of this for everybody, at every level.”

Coaches need resources to get recruits to campus. In most cases, athletes are straightforward in what they’re looking for when choosing which universities to attend, according to Martelli.

“Then it’s up to us to decide what that looks like,” Martelli said. “Is that worth it, is it not worth it?”

Martelli would like to see multi-year contracts for athletes.

There would then be the potential for contract buyouts within college athletics, similar to professional sports. Both parties can negotiate the terms and lengths of the contracts and try to find common ground.

“But right now if you go year-to-year, to have guys jumping in the transfer portal and shopping around, it isn’t the best for everybody,” Martelli said.

Former University of Virginia basketball Coach Tony Bennett unexpectedly retired in 2024, saying he no longer felt he was the best coach to lead the program in the current environment.

Bennett, who guided UVA to the 2019 national championship, said NIL deals, along with the transfer portal, added aspects to his role that weren’t his strong suit.

“The game and college athletics is not in a healthy spot,” Bennett said. “There needs to be change.”

Community is also impacted when student-athletes solely chase money, said Ben Rekosh, a VCU broadcast student and sports commentator. College sports used to be built on the idea of student-athletes being integral to their community, by contributing to what makes their school and fan base great for three to four years.

“I think that it affects the community a lot,” Rekosh said. “There’s not really players anymore that people are able to to tie their hearts with and have a true connection with, if people are just jumping back and forth.”

Still, he understands why it could be in the best interest of athletes at their peak to move around and maximize their earnings.

One perk of NIL deals is that more college athletes are staying in school instead of going professional immediately, according to ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas. They can continue their education while earning money, versus being pushed toward the pay-to-play professional route.

Top college players may earn more money and playing time than they would as rookies in the pros and would have more experience going into a draft.

New Kind Of Athlete

Athletes are not just a part of the university’s brand – they also have a personal business.

Thai Wilson, sports editor for VCU student-run paper The Commonwealth Times, said fans increasingly follow players, not just programs.

“You remember 2008 Florida winning the March Madness, or VCU making it to the Final Four in 2011,” Wilson said. “People don’t remember the players that played on those teams who made it all the way unless they were either a big name who made it to the NBA, or if it’s just a very memorable run.”

Wilson pointed to top recruit AJ Dybansta’s decision to go to Brigham Young University, a school not known for getting high-profile signees, as an example of how NIL has shifted power dynamics. That can benefit students and give them a better chance to negotiate for what they want.

“NIL’s landscape is starting to kind of open up doors for other programs to get higher recruits if they’re willing to pay for it,” Wilson said.

Risks And Reality

Student-athletes now have new opportunities, but with that comes risk. Especially for younger athletes still learning financial basics. For Trinidad, the key is using NIL to build the athlete experience.

Although NIL deals may give students more power, Trinidad worries some could be exploited by marketing agents or contract deals that they don’t understand.

“Because these guys — they’ll come in, make you a contract, and take 10% of your money,” Trinidad said. “It’s something young guys need to be wary of.”

He thinks high school athletics should start talking about brand building, contract literacy and financial management.

NIL deals are relatively new, with many rules in place around compensation and endorsement. Virginia law restricts athletes from NIL compensation from alcohol, cannabis and sports gambling, to name a few.

If the laws change and there is less regulation, there is a chance athletes could be taken advantage of.

“It gives you power, but power in the wrong hands can be bad,” Trinidad said.

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Women’s Track and Field’s Garrett takes second in 400mH at NCAA Outdoor Championship

Story Links EUGENE, Ore. – The University of Texas Women’s Track and Field team finished in a tie for 10th place with 23 overall points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Saturday night at Hayward Field. Sophomore Akala Garrett led the Longhorns with her runner-up finish in the 400-meter hurdles and scored eight team points. […]

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10 minutes ago

June 15, 2025

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EUGENE, Ore. – The University of Texas Women’s Track and Field team finished in a tie for 10th place with 23 overall points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Saturday night at Hayward Field.

Sophomore Akala Garrett led the Longhorns with her runner-up finish in the 400-meter hurdles and scored eight team points. Garrett posted a time of 54.66, the fourth-fastest time in school history to earn USTFCCCA First Team All-America honors. The sophomore now owns eight of the top 10 times in UT history.

The women also tallied four points from the 4×100-meter relay of Carleta Bernard, Holly Okuku, Kenondra Davis and Ramiah Elliott who finished fifth with a time of 42.98. The quartet earned First-Team All-American honors and scored four team points.

Davis returned to the track and finished sixth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.66 to earn another First-Team All-America honor.

The Longhorns also added eight points from Thursday’s field finals, when Nina Ndubuisi placed third in the shot put to score six points and Aaliyah Foster finished seventh in the long jump for two points.

Texas Scorers:

Akala Garrett – 400mH – 2^nd (8 pts)

Nina Ndubuisi – Shot Put – 3^rd (6 pts)

Kody Blackwood – 400mH – 3^rd (6 pts)

Carleta Bernard, Holly Okuku, Kenondra Davis, Ramiah Elliott – 4×100 – 5^th (4 pts)

Kenondra Davis – 200m – 6^th (3 pts)

Aaliyah Foster – Long Jump – 7^th (2 pts)

Xavier Butler – 200m – 7^th (2 pts)

Kendrick Smallwood, John Rutledge, Almond Small, Xavier Butler – 4×100 – 8^th (1 pt)

All-America Honors:

Akala Garrett – 400mH – 2^nd – First Team

Nina Ndubuisi – Shot Put – 3^rd – First Team

Kody Blackwood – 400mH – 3^rd – First Team

Carleta Bernard, Holly Okuku, Kenondra Davis, Ramiah Elliott – 4×100 – 5^th – First Team

Kenondra Davis – 200m – 6^th – First Tean

Aaliyah Foster – Long Jump – 7^th– First Team

Xavier Butler – 200m – 7^th – First Team

Kendrick Smallwood, John Rutledge, Almond Small, Xavier Butler – 4×100 – 8^th – First Team

Chrystal Herpin – Shot Put – 11^th – Second Team

Kelsey Daniel – Triple Jump – 12^th – Second Team

Mackenzie Collins – 400mH – 17^th – Honorable Mention

Osawese Agbonkonkon – High Jump – T-19^th – Honorable Mention

Holly Okuku – 200m – 21^st – Honorable Mention

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University of Oklahoma Athletics

EUGENE, Ore. – The Oklahoma women’s track and field team wrapped up the 2025 season Saturday night in 14th with 19 points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Pippi Lotta Enok highlighted the final day of the national meet with the second NCAA heptathlon title of her career. The OU men’s team also capped an […]

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28 minutes ago

June 15, 2025

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EUGENE, Ore. – The Oklahoma women’s track and field team wrapped up the 2025 season Saturday night in 14th with 19 points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Pippi Lotta Enok highlighted the final day of the national meet with the second NCAA heptathlon title of her career.

The OU men’s team also capped an impressive performance at nationals Friday night in sixth place with 30.5 points. This marks the first time in program history that both the men’s and women’s teams have finished in the top 15 at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Enok headlined the fourth day of NCAAs, earning a personal best and Oklahoma school record of 6,285 points in the heptathlon for the national title. Her excellent performance broke the Estonian national record by five points and ranks No. 10 all-time in NCAA collegiate history. Enok’s score is the seventh-best count posted by an athlete in NCAA Outdoor Championships history and ranks No. 11 in the world in 2025.

The Estonian earned her first title in June 2023 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. At the time, Enok’s final score of 6,165 points was good for the school record and still ranks No. 18 all-time in NCAA collegiate history. The Estonian becomes one of three women in Oklahoma history to earn two outdoor national titles during their time as a Sooner. Enok, NCAA shot put champion Tia Brooks (2012, 2013) and javelin national champion Brittany Borman (2011, 2012) tie for most individual titles in program outdoor history.

Enok entered Saturday in second place, just 25 points behind Notre Dame’s Jadin O’Brien. In the Sooner’s first event, Enok captured a season-best 6.39m (20’11.75″) mark in the long jump for second place in the field and 972 points, helping her climb into the lead with a score of 4,657 with two events remaining. The senior held the lead through the javelin, tossing 42.89m (140’8.00″), which was good for 723 points. She secured the title on the seventh event, clocking 2:14.12 in the 800-meter run to maintain her lead with an additional 905 points.

The Sooner was helped by three career bests on Friday, getting off to a quick start with 13.65 in the 100-meter hurdles (1,085 points). She went on to secure another personal record in the high jump, clearing the bar at 1.81m (5’11.25″) for 991 points. The jump helps her climb to No. 5 on OU’s all-time performance list. Enok’s last PR of the day came in the 200m where she clocked 24.08 for 972 points.

Triple jump duo of Agur Dwol and Ashley Moore secured third and seventh place, respectively, to earn NCAA Outdoor First Team All-America awards. Dwol, the reigning NCAA indoor triple jump champion, recorded a 13.77m (45’4.25″) mark on her first attempt for the bronze medal. Moore also registered her best jump on her first attempt, posting 13.30m (43’7.75″) to conclude her collegiate career in Eugene.

Freshman Leah Jeruto competed in her first NCAA Outdoor Championships final, clocking 9:38.94 in the steeplechase. She finished eighth in the event, taking home an NCAA First Team All-America award and becoming the first Sooner in program history to earn the honor in the steeplechase.

Senior and school record holder Paige Low capped her collegiate career with an NCAA honorable mention award, finishing 21st in the discus throw with a mark of 51.53m (169’0.00″).

CONNECT WITH THE SOONERS

For more information on Oklahoma Track & Field, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Track) and like Oklahoma Sooners Track & Field and Cross Country on Facebook.

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Mediacorp Actor Zhai Siming Shows Off Hot Bod… & Speedo Tan Line On IG

Last year, Mediacorp actor Zhai Siming went topless as he bashfully hawked durians to us during an on-set visit for drama Uniquely Yours last year. Well, so much for being shy. The 28-year-old has now stripped down to his Speedos for his role as a water polo team captain in upcoming Mediacorp drama, Cell Phone Swap. And […]

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37 minutes ago

June 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Last year, Mediacorp actor Zhai Siming went topless as he bashfully hawked durians to us during an on-set visit for drama Uniquely Yours last year.

Well, so much for being shy.

The 28-year-old has now stripped down to his Speedos for his role as a water polo team captain in upcoming Mediacorp drama, Cell Phone Swap.

And we know his fans are lapping it up.

Now, we are not just talking about Siming casually posing in his trunks.

In a cheeky IG boomerang with Star Search 2024 finalists Jona Chung and Tan Zisheng, plus actor Calvert Tay, the crisp-looking quartet gave an eyeful, flashing their Speedo tan lines.

Nosebleed, anyone?

But it doesn’t stop there. The Emerald Hill actor has also been flooding his IG Internet with a wave of topless thirst traps lately.

Not that anyone’s complaining.

Scroll down for all of Siming’s thirst traps.

Now we are wondering if Siming been picking up a thing or two from his buddy, resident Medicorp hunk Tyler Ten, on how to catch our attention.

In an interview with Shin Min Daily, Siming revealed that he prepped for his many topless scenes by sticking to a strict clean diet and hitting the gym every day.

For his role as a durian seller, he was already doing that and visiting the gym five times a week.

Of course, netizens took notice and flooded the comments with a furry of hearts and kisses.

One even hilariously wrote, “Hello mister! Need a #nsfw disclaimer next time!”

Another commented, “I just had a nosebleed. Can I claim my doctor’s visit from you?”

Even Yes 933 DJ Kunhua chimed in, “Just wear this for the Star Awards”.

Not a bad idea as viewers will be able to vote for the evening’s best dressed during the Walk of Fame at the upcoming Star Awards 2025.

Less is more, right?

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SOUTH FLORIDA MEN’S 4X400M RELAY WINS FIRST NATIONAL TITLE; BULLS FINISH TOP-15 AT NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Story Links EUGENE, Ore., June 14, 2025 — The University of South Florida men’s track and field team made history at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships, held June 11–14 at Hayward Field, by capturing the program’s first-ever national title in the men’s 4×400-meter relay and securing a top-15 finish in the team […]

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1 hour ago

June 15, 2025

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EUGENE, Ore., June 14, 2025 — The University of South Florida men’s track and field team made history at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships, held June 11–14 at Hayward Field, by capturing the program’s first-ever national title in the men’s 4×400-meter relay and securing a top-15 finish in the team standings.

The Bulls’ 4x400m relay squad — Devontie Archer, Alexavier Monfries, Corey Ottey and Gabriel Moronta — closed out the final day of competition in emphatic fashion, claiming the national title with a program-record time of 3:00.42. The blistering performance earned the quartet First-Team All-American honors and delivered a historic moment for USF track and field.

Monfries and Moronta powered the win with the two fastest splits of the championship final, clocking 44.11 and 44.23, respectively.

“This is a monumental moment for our program and these young men earned every bit of it,” said USF Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Erik Jenkins. “They ran with heart, poise and purpose on the biggest stage in collegiate track and field. To bring home our first national title and place among the nation’s top teams is a testament to the commitment and character of our entire group.”

USF’s success extended well beyond the relay. The Bulls’ 4x100m relay team — featuring Shomari Pettigrew, Jaleel Croal, Monfries and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu — also earned First-Team All-American honors after placing fourth with a time of 38.73.

In field events, Vincent Ugwoke earned First-Team All-American honors with a seventh-place finish in the discus throw, recording a mark of 60.58 meters (198-9).

Individually, Saminu claimed First-Team All-American honors in the 200m dash with a time of 20.55, and Second-Team All-American honors in the 100m dash after posting a 10.11. The Ghana native now owns three All-American honors at the 2025 championships alone.

Croal earned Second-Team All-American status in the 200m (20.58) and honorable mention in the 100m (10.38) to close out a strong showing on the national stage.

Overall, South Florida totaled 18 points to finish 14th in the final team standings — one of just two non-Power Four programs (alongside New Mexico) to finish in the top 15.

Top-15 Final Team Standings & Points:

Texas A&M – 41, USC – 41, Arkansas – 40, Auburn – 35, New Mexico – 31, Oklahoma – 30.5, Minnesota – 25, Florida – 22, Kentucky – 22, Ole Miss – 22, BYU – 19, Oklahoma State – 19, Oregon – 19, South Florida – 18, Tennessee – 18.

Fans can access final results HERE.

For complete coverage of USF Track and Field, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Instagram).

ABOUT USF TRACK AND FIELD

The USF men’s track and field team captured back-to-back American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships in 2024 and 2025 and also claimed the 2024 AAC Outdoor Championship. This past season, 10 Bulls athletes earned All-America honors, including Shevioe Reid, Shaniya Benjamin, Gabriel Moronta, Nathan Metelus, Terren Peterson, Amenda Saint Louis, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, Goodness Iredia, Zahria Allers-Liburd, and Tre’Sean Bouis. Additionally, Romaine Beckford represented USF by winning the 2023 NCAA indoor and outdoor national titles in the men’s high jump.

The Bulls’ achievements extended to individual accolades, with Saminu Abdul-Rasheed earning the 2025 Indoor Most Valuable Performer award and Nikodem Pochopien being named Freshman of the Year. The USF coaching staff also received high honors, earning the AAC Indoor Staff of the Year award in both 2024 and 2025. USF boasts a remarkable track record, with 56 All-America selections and at least one All-American honoree in 10 of the past 12 years. In 2021, eight athletes combined for 11 All-America distinctions. Tampa native Shaniya Benjamin set a program milestone by earning three All-America honors during the 2021 outdoor season, while triple jumper Matthew O’Neal, a 2016 graduate, became USF’s first six-time NCAA All-American. Since 2013, USF has produced two NCAA runner-up finishes: O’Neal in the triple jump (2016) and Courtney Anderson in the high jump (2013). Head coach Erik Jenkins, who took over in July 2019, has played a key role in the program’s success, guiding USF to seven program records and 40 top-10 all-time program marks during the 2021 outdoor season. USF has also hosted major track and field events at its USF Track & Field Stadium, including the 2018 NCAA East Preliminary and the AAC Outdoor Championships in 2021 and 2023.

– #GoBulls –

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University of Minnesota Athletics

MINNEAPOLIS — The University of Minnesota concluded its 2025 campaign in Eugene, Ore., at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field on Friday night. The men’s team finished seventh overall, its highest finish since 1948 while the women’s team gathered two All-America finishes. Prior to Minnesota’s seventh-place team finish in 2025 the best […]

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2 hours ago

June 15, 2025

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MINNEAPOLIS — The University of Minnesota concluded its 2025 campaign in Eugene, Ore., at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field on Friday night. The men’s team finished seventh overall, its highest finish since 1948 while the women’s team gathered two All-America finishes.

Prior to Minnesota’s seventh-place team finish in 2025 the best men’s program finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships since 1948 was eighth place back in 1971. Minnesota opened the meet with an NCAA title in the men’s hammer throw. For a recap of Wednesday’s hammer throw title from Kostas Zaltos, click here.

Minnesota’s men earned two final team points in the men’s 4x100m relay final on Friday. The Maroon and Gold had its quartet of Zion Campbell, Kion Benjamin, Aaron Charles and Devin Augustine finish seventh overall in a time of 38.88 to help the Gophers score two of its final 25 team points in Eugene. Despite an anchor-leg injury forcing Minnesota to pull up with about 20 meters to go the Gophers put forth its best finish in the event in program history, besting its previous best finish in 2023 of 10th overall.

Minnesota’s best finish on the women’s side at Hayward Field was Ali Weimer in the 10,000m on Thursday night. The junior posted her second 10,000m school record of the season with a 32:42.31, becoming the first Gopher to break the 33-minute barrier in history. Weimer’s 15th-place NCAA finish in the 10,000m is the second-highest in program history, and the best since 2009 (Amy Laskowske).

Dyandra Gray ended her Minnesota career with her first All-America finish at 22nd overall on Thursday. With her performance at Hayward Field Gray is just the third Gopher woman to earn All-America honors in the 400m hurdles, joining Emma Spagnola (2018) and Abigail Schaaffe (2022).

Finishes by Individual

1st. Kostas Zaltos, men’s hammer throw, 78.08m (256-2)

2nd. Angelos Mantzouranis, men’s hammer throw, 76.96m (252-6)

4th. Charles Godfred, men’s long jump, 7.91m (25-11 1/2)

7th. Men’s 4x100m relay (Campbell, Benjamin, Charles, Augustine), 38.88

10th. Hakeem Ford, men’s triple jump, 15.89m (52-1 3/4)

12th. Jak Urlacher, men’s pole vault, 5.43m (17-9 3/4)

15th. Ali Weimer, women’s 10,000m, 32:42.31

17th. Christian Martin, men’s 110m hurdles, 13.61

22nd. Dyandra Gray, women’s 400m hurdles, 58.86

For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota cross country and track and field team on X.com (Twitter) and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the season.

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Marc-Antoine Olivier Tops Men’s 10km Podium in Setúbal World Cup Stop

The podium was far from decided during the race, which saw the race leader and top five positions rotate frequently throughout. Olivier was a constant in the lead pack and went out fast, posting the quickest first lap of the field to also win the sprint lap award. Olivier (1:53:28.10) was joined on the podium […]

Published

2 hours ago

June 15, 2025

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The podium was far from decided during the race, which saw the race leader and top five positions rotate frequently throughout. Olivier was a constant in the lead pack and went out fast, posting the quickest first lap of the field to also win the sprint lap award.

Olivier (1:53:28.10) was joined on the podium by countrymate Sacha Velly (1:53:29.80), who matched his best ever World Cup finish with a silver in this event. A superb second-half of the race from Germany’s Oliver Klemet (1:53:33.60) secured him the final spot on the podium.

Now 2025 series-lead, and overall World Cup series winner from 2024, Olivier said of the race: “I’m very happy because I’m in good shape, last week we had qualification at the French National Championships for the World Championships so I tried to keep my swim on plan today – I’m very happy to win this award.”

With the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore fast approaching, the versatile Frenchmen admits he has one eye on the pool, saying:

“Now, I need to have a good recovery because next week I have the French Championships to qualify for the pool so I need to swim well in the pool and after we will see what happens at the World Championships in Open Water.”

Bronze-medal winner Klemet, who has taken a break from an altitude camp to race this weekend, admits he had a slower-than-planned start to the race. “My coach told me to start strong,” he said. “But I slept a bit at the start and then worked my way back to the top”.

The Olympic silver medallist did just that, working his way through the pack in the latter five kilometres to secure his seventh Open Water World Cup medal.

Three-time World Championship medallist and current second-ranked open water athlete in the world, Logan Fontaine, was the fourth athlete home (1:53:35.20) in what was a tightly packed finish, with the top six completed by Kristof Rasovsky (1:53:35.30) and Florian Wellbrock (1:53:36.50).

It was reigning 10km Olympic Champion, Rasovsky, his Hungarian teammate David Betlehem, and Tokyo’s Olympic champion in the same event, Wellbrock, that commanded the majority of the race, showcasing their experience and unwavering strength over this distance.

The calm conditions of the race start played to the German’s favour, and he led or was in the top five until the final strait. An uplift in the wind soon made the waves choppier on the far side of the course, offering the Hungarian veteran a chance to make a break.

In the midst of the fourth lap, Rasovsky’s stroke rate spiked as he put the burners on to move into first place. Using the conditions to his advantage, which he and teammate Betlehem have trained specifically for, he made a marked change in pace at this point in the race.

Silver medallist Velly matched this effort in the fifth lap, charging to the front of the race and showing his intent to his competitors.

“[Finishing hard] wasn’t the plan but it was a good finish, a strong finish and it’s good training for the rest of the season,” Velly said.

In what was a chaotic final lap, countrymates Olivier and Sacha Velly both surged to the front of the pack. With almost 10 minutes left to race, the outcome was far from decided at this point, but a strong showing from the Frenchmen, who followed a different line into the finish than the rest of the pack, provided an exciting finish on the Portuguese coast.

The Setúbal stop of the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup will continue next with the highly anticipated Women’s 10km today, which kicks off at 17:00 local time, followed by the 3km knockout sprints tomorrow.

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