Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands showed her experience in the field of open water and clinched the women's 10km marathon swimming gold medal in the River Seine at the Paris Olympic Games here on Thursday morning.

Rouwendaal, champion in 2016 Rio Olympics and runner-up in 2020 Tokyo Olympics, edged Moesha Johnson of Australia in the last finish, lifting the women's title in two hours, three minutes and 34.2 seconds.

Johnson took the silver medal in 2:03:39.7 and Ginevra Taddeucci of Italy came to bronze 2:03:42.8. Tokyo Olympic champion Ana Marcela Cunha finished fourth.

As the only swimmer qualified for the Paris Olympic Games for China, 2019 world champion Xin Xin came last as the 24th finisher in 2:27:02.9.

"I was lack of experience in such kind of water condition. The speed of River Seine is too fast that I did not know how to handle it. But thanks to the support from the audience, I tried my best to finish the 10km race," Xin said.

Men's marathon swimming will take place on Friday