Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon 10 kilometre require different tactics and showcase several different racing strategies that are more common to competitive cycling, marathon running and water polo than traditional pool swimming. It is one of the few Olympic sports where the athlete's coaches play a critical role during the actual event. The coaches have four opportunities to provide drinks to their athletes as the athletes swim by floating pontoons in the course. If the coach falls in the water, his or her athlete is immediately disqualified. Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon 10 kilometre The men's marathon 10 kilometre event at the 2008
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's marathon 10 kilometre Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's marathon 10 kilometre The women's marathon 10 kilometre event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 20 August at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park in Beijing, China. Russia's Larisa Ilchenko sprinted to a top finish in the final stages of the inaugural women's open water race at these Games. With only 150 metres left, she put in a late charge to overhaul the British duo Keri-Anne Payne and Cassandra Patten on the right side of the pack, and slapped the yellow pads to capture the gold in a sterling time of