Bahrain delivers solid 5km effort in Sanya

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain opened its open water swimming campaign at the Asian Beach Games with a strong showing in the men’s 5km race, held yesterday at Sanya Bay Haiyue Square.

The event featured some of Asia’s top endurance swimmers, who tackled a demanding three-lap course where pacing, positioning, and tactical awareness proved just as important as speed in challenging open-water conditions.

China’s Ziyang Zhang claimed the gold medal in 53:46.0, while Vietnam secured both remaining podium spots through Huy Hoang Nguyen (silver) and Tran Tuan Anh Mai (bronze) after a closely fought finish.

For Bahrain, Robert Bonsall delivered the standout performance of the day.

The Australian-born swimmer, who turned 23 on the eve of the race and won the 5km Western Australian State Championship in 2024, remained in contention throughout much of the competition.

He stayed with the leading pack for significant stretches and ultimately finished fourth in 54:19.2, narrowly missing out on a medal.

Bonsall’s race included an early setback after receiving a yellow flag during the first lap, a standard warning in open water swimming typically issued for minor infractions such as positioning or incidental contact. Although it carried no time penalty, it placed him under close observation for the remainder of the race. He responded well, regaining composure and maintaining a consistent pace through to the finish.

The Kingdom’s second entrant, William Balzano, finished 21st in 1:02:03. Based in Bahrain, the Italian swimmer trains under national coach Farj Saleh and is part of the country’s competitive swimming setup, including Riffa Aquatic and the Bahrain Elite Swim Team.

Balzano, 16, is experienced internationally, having previously finished runner-up at Oceanman Dubai and set multiple Bahraini records.

Despite difficult race conditions that saw several athletes struggle to complete the course within the time limit, he finished the event under physically demanding circumstances.