Grimes wins 10k open water title, gets world spot

SARASOTA, Fla. — Katie Grimes won the women’s 10-kilometer title at the open water national championships on Friday to earn a berth at this summer’s world aquatics championships.

Grimes pulled away over the last five laps to win in 1 hour, 58.08 seconds at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota. The 17-year-old from Las Vegas won by 15 seconds to defend her title.

Mariah Denigan of Walton, Kentucky, and Claire Weinstein of White Plains, New York, had a photo finish for second. The nod went to Denigan, whose time of 1:58.23 was 1 second ahead of Weinstein.

Ashley Twichell of Fayetteville, North Carolina, finished fourth in her return to open water competition less than a year after giving birth to her first child.

Carlos Garach of Spain won the men’s 10k in 1:51.05.65.

Brennan Gravley of Las Vegas finished second in 1:51.05.78 and his brother, Dylan Gravley, was third at 1:51.07.77. As the top American finisher, Brennan Gravley qualified for the world meet in Japan.