Ludovica Terlizzi and Mate Karpati Capture 10km Titles at Junior Open Water World Championships

The 2026 World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships kicked off Thursday in the cool, 17.9-degree Celsius waters of Lago Sur in Santa Fe, Argentina. The marquee 18-19 age group 10km races delivered two contrasting spectacles: a wire-to-wire masterclass in the girls' event and a tactical, redemption-fueled sprint in the boys' race.[1][6]

In the girls' 10km, Italy's Ludovica Terlizzi opted for a strategy rarely seen in marathon swimming. Instead of drafting in the pack, the 19-year-old surged to the front immediately, building a 30-second lead by the end of the first 1.66-kilometer lap.[2][5]

The gap only widened from there. Terlizzi crossed the finish line in 1:55:35.00, a staggering 80 seconds ahead of Russia's Polina Koziakina, who touched in 1:56:55.40. Hungary's Napsugar Nagy claimed the bronze in 1:57:28.40.[1][2]

"This is my first medal and also my last Junior World Championship," Terlizzi told Italian media. "In previous editions of the European and World Championships, I had always finished fifth, sixth, or eighth. I told myself: 'Ludo, this is your last Junior World Championship, you have to do everything you can.'"[5]

The boys' 10km race offered a much tighter battle. Hungary's Mate Karpati, 19, arrived in Argentina seeking redemption after a disappointing fourth-place finish at the European Junior Championships in Sukoró earlier in the summer.[7]

Karpati bided his time in the top five before making his decisive move on the fifth lap. He established a body-length lead and held off a frantic chase pack to touch the pad in 1:46:46.30, securing his first individual World Junior title.[3]

"I was a bit disappointed after the European Championships," Karpati said following his victory. "I really wanted to be on the podium that time. But I came with the vision that I want to be on the podium this time... I'm really happy and really grateful."

Behind Karpati, the race for silver produced the day's most dramatic finish. American Colin Jacobs, who sat in 16th place at the end of the fourth lap, unleashed a massive closing sprint to overtake 14 swimmers, touching second in 1:46:51.70.[2]

Brazil's Arthur Aguiar rounded out the podium just 1.6 seconds behind Jacobs at 1:46:53.30. Aguiar's bronze marks the first-ever medal for Brazil at the World Junior Open Water Championships, capping a historic day for the Americas on home-continent waters.[2][6]