French world 5km champion OLIVIER confident of golden double in open water swimming

World 5km champion Marc-Antoine Olivier (FRA) is targeting an individual gold-medal double in the open water swimming competition which starts at Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park on Wednesday.

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Olivier also competes in the 10km event, where he finished third in the 2017 World Championships on Lake Balaton, Hungary and the mixed team relay.

"I expect at least the same result as Balaton or better," Olivier said.

“We have worked all year for this so no problem.”

One of his main challengers in the 5km is likely to be European champion Kirill Abosimov (RUS), the 2012 European champion in 5km and 10km.

The 5km race is often unpredictable with some swimmers using it as a warm-up for later distances while it is the first step for newcomers.

Great Britain have two promoted juniors, Hector Pardoe in the men’s and Polly Holden in the women’s race, while Slovakian schoolboy Tomas Peciar, 15, is also competing.

"I've never been to Loch Lomond but I Googled it and I've seen pictures," Holden, who is only racing in open water for the fourth time, said. "It is a beautiful setting and I'm really looking forward to it."

Olympic 10km silver medallist and European champion Rachele Bruni (ITA), compatriot Arianna Bridi and Dutch Olympic champion Sharon Van Rouwendaal (NED) are the big names likely to be in contention.

Bridi and Van Rouwendaal will face each other in the 10km and 25km races too.