Russias Larisa Ilchenko won the womens 10km swimming marathon in the events Olympic debut. She finished the race in 1hr 59:27.7. Great Britains Keri-Anne Payne took the Silver Medal and her countryman, Cassandra Patten took the Bronze Medal.

Natalie du Toit of South Africa, the only woman to qualify for both the Olympics and the Paralympics, finished 16th. du Toit, who lost her left leg in a motor scooter accident swam without her prosthetic leg.