MIROMAR LAKES, Fla. -- Ashley Twichell won the women's 5-kilometer title Sunday to go with her earlier win in the 10k, completing the first sweep of titles at the open water national championships since 2007. Daniel Heron won the men's 5k.
Twichell, Christine Jennings and Emily Brunemann went to the front of the pack early in the race. Twichell got a few body lengths lead on the two before Brunemann made her move and they fought it out over the final 500 meters. Twichell touched first in 58 minutes, 54.17 seconds, and Brunemann was second in 58:54.47. Jennings was third in 59:11.01, matching her finish in the 5k race.
"That's how these races go," Twichell said. "You race really hard for 40 minutes and then you push yourself harder for the final 15 minutes."
Twichell had won the 10k on Friday. Chloe Sutton swept both women's titles in 2007.
Heron showed some powerful kicks at the finish to win the men's 5k in 57:50.92. Jordan Wilimovsky was second at 57:53.97 and Dan O'Connor was third in 57:55.83.
Twichell and Haley Anderson, who was second in the 10k, earned spots for the Olympic qualifier event in June in Portugal.
