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June 17, 2003
Dan DeMarco, a recent 2003 UVA graduate, won the U.S. 10K Open Water National Championships June 1st in Fort Myers Beach, Fl. He clocked in with a winning time of 1 hour, 57 minutes, 45.21 seconds, which was 25 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor.
When asked how he felt after the race, Demarco commented, “I was pretty tired when I finished, but that didn’t damper my excitement, especially when I realized I had just won a free trip to Spain.”
Though this was Dan’s third open water victory (his first last August at Senior Nationals in Fort Lauderdale, Fl and his second last October in the Cayman Islands), this 10K proved to be a little more difficult due to treacherous winds.
“Going down the wind was with you so we all went pretty fast, but on the way back it was a constant fight against the wind. The water was incredibly bouncy and it was really hard to swim.” Demarco went on to note, however, that “that’s just one of the challenges of open-water swimming, the ocean is unpredictable.”
Dan will now go on to compete at the World Championships in Barcelona, Spain as a member of the U.S. National team swimming the 5K and 10K. This meet, to be held in July, will feature the best open water swimmers in the world.
Demarco says he’s excited to go to Spain and compete against the pros but he is uncertain of his chances of success. “My coaches think I have a good chance at placing in the top five, which is my ultimate goal, but I really just want to learn from the experience and have a good time.”
While at UVA, Dan trained with the elite distance group. He was a finalist every year at the ACC Championships and qualified all four years for NCAAs. This year he won the “Unsung Hero” award at the annual Swimming and Diving Banquet for his strong work ethic and dedication to the sport of swimming.
Virginia distance coach Bill Smyth remarked that “Dan always came to practice ready to work with a good attitude and always wanted to do well.”
Coach Smyth went on to say he believes Dan has the opportunity to be excellent in open water swimming because “he is one of the best long course milers in the country, and may even be a better open water swimmer. He hasn’t lost an open water race yet.”
Dan plans to train up until Worlds then continue to swim open water until next year focusing on the races offering prize money. He said he has a few options to pursue after he’s done swimming, but for right now he is going to enjoy his much deserved success.