Monday, 13 August 2018:
 | | KAREENA LEE of Australia competes in the Women's 1500m Freestyle during the 2017 Australian Swimming Championships at the Sleeman Sports Complex in Brisbane, Australia. | |
|
Rest will have to wait for Kareena Lee, who'll be the only member of the Australian Dolphins to back up from the Pan Pacs pool meet at the 10km open-water race in Japan.
The 24-year-old will spearhead the three-strong Australian contingent at Tateyama on Tuesday, just two days after being denied 1500m freestyle bronze in the Pan Pacs pool in Tokyo.
The 1500m is a timed final in which competitors contest heats before times are compared in order to decide medals.
Lee clocked an impressive 16 minutes, 03.26 seconds in the morning session to appear to have a podium spot in sight, only for American Leah Smith to pip her for a medal with her heat time later on Sunday evening.
Lee will contest the women's 10km race with Rio Olympian Chelsea Gubecka, while Nick Sloman - a national open surf race champion - is Australia's only representative in the men's event.
"The hard work is done and it's now all about recovery," Lee said of backing up.
"If I get my recovery right then I'm confident everything will be fine."
Lee earned her open-water spot on the 10km FINA Marathon Swim World Series before going home two weeks later to qualify for the pool team.
Lee and Gubecka will feature in a 17-strong women's field boasting five Americans, including London Olympic silver medallist Hayley Anderson.
The American is also a two-time 5km world champion.
Sloman, 20, will feature in a 14-strong men's field.
"Tactically I think it's going to be really, really, fast (course)," Gubecka said.
"A few of the girls have been doing the 800m and 1500m freestyles here at the Pan Pacs so they obviously are ready to go with their speed so the pace will definitely be on."
The men's field is highlighted by former 10km world champion Jordan Wilimovsky of the US, who claimed 1500m silver in the Pan Pacs pool.
