Aussies start strong at world aquatics championships
The South West product opened Australia's medal tally on Wednesday after finishing in two hours, 10.30 seconds behind winner Florian Wellbrock (Germany) and runner-up Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italy).
It marks the 23-year-old's first ever solo world championship medal, having won a gold and bronze in previous team events.
The Australind product is also a former Rottnest Channel Swim winner and represented Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing 13th in the 10km open water event.
Lee said he was in shock after his impressive feat and was well prepared for the tough conditions.
Moesha Johnson also won Australia's first 10km open water world title on Wednesday, which was the fifth open water world title over all distances.
The water temperature was 30-plus degrees and conditions were described on social media as 'human soup'. There were also two postponements for the 10km events because of water quality concerns.
Johnson, who claimed silver in the same event at the Paris Olympics, won in two hours seven minutes 51.30 seconds. It is also her first individual open water world championship.
She finished 4.40 seconds ahead of Italian Ginevra Taddeucci and Lisa Pou from Monaco won bronze.
Fellow Australian and Paris Olympics teammate Chelsea Gubecka finished eighth. Australian Moesha Johnson celebrates after her historic 10km open water world title. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP
The men's race became the first final to be decided at the world championships in Singapore after the women's 10km event was moved from Tuesday to Wednesday because of water quality concerns.
The two open-water events were also postponed from Wednesday morning to the afternoon at Palawan Beach on Sentosa Island, south of Singapore, again because of the dirty sea water.
Organisers then said water samples collected on Tuesday afternoon had shown a 'significant improvement' and went ahead with Wednesday competition. SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - JULY 16: Bronze medallist Kyle Lee of Team Australia poses during the medal ceremony for the Men's 10k Open Water Final on day six of the Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships at The Palawan @ Sentosa on July 16, 2025 in Singapore. (Photo by) Credit: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images
Johnson, Lee, Gubecka and Sloman are the reigning world mixed team champions.
Wellbrock also won the 10km event at the Tokyo Olympics. He was unhappy about the circumstances around the event postponements.
'That was very, very annoying. We don't understand why World Aquatics informs coaches and committees about such circumstances in the middle of the night,' Wellbrock said.
Other open-water races in Singapore are also set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Water quality was a key issue at last year's Olympics, with the triathlon and marathon swimming events held in the River Seine.
After a massive project to clean up the river for the Games, heavy rain meant the men's individual triathlon was postponed by one day. All other events went ahead as scheduled.
Once she competes in her open-water events, Johnson will also contest the 800m and 1500m freestyle in the pool at the worlds.
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