There are no small mistakes at the international level of sport, where any miscue is likely to prove catastrophic.
One did Monday for swimmer Richard Weinberger of Victoria at the 2013 FINA world aquatics championships in Barcelona, causing him to tumble two spots from his open-water 10K bronze-medal winning position in the 2012 London Summer Olympics.
Weinberger was leading when he missed turning at a buoy, forcing him to go back and make the proper turn. He churned furiously to get back into the race and finished fifth.
Weinberger labelled it a 鈥渇atal mistake.鈥�
But it also showed why he will probably go into the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics as the gold-medal favourite. If he can make such an error and still finish fifth, just 0.7 seconds off the podium, what is he capable of in a normally executed race?
鈥淚鈥檓 one of the strongest guys out there and I know I could have come first,鈥� said Weinberger in a statement.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just so disappointing that I made such an amateur mistake and I didn鈥檛 notice the turning buoy pass on my right. I know I鈥檓 better than that.鈥�
Spyridon Gianniotis of Greece won the gold medal in one hour, 49 minutes, 8 seconds with Thomas Lurz of Germany second in 1:49:14.5 and London Olympic-champion Oussama Mellouli of Tunisia third 鈥� 0.7 seconds ahead of Weinberger (1:49:19.9).
鈥淚鈥檓 pretty proud of the fact I didn鈥檛 give up,鈥� said the Olympic medallist from the Island.
鈥淚 tried to stay cool but I knew it was a fatal mistake and I paid for it. At least I know that my swimming is not the issue. I know I鈥檓 one of the fastest and fittest guys out there. I know that and they [opposing swimmers] are going to feel it in the 25K [scheduled for Saturday in Barcelona].鈥�
Weinberger鈥檚 career has been guided and nurtured by veteran Victoria swim coach Ron Jacks, who suffered along with his 23-year-old star Monday, but in the end was proud of the comeback attempt.
鈥淲e鈥檙e disappointed Richard made a mistake around a buoy and had to make that up. That obviously cost him,鈥� said Jacks.
鈥淗e still fought really hard. It shows a lot of character. It shows he doesn鈥檛 give up and shows a lot of substance in Richard as a person.鈥�
Eric Hedlin of Victoria, the 20-year-old who recorded a stunning breakthrough silver medal Saturday in the open-water 5K at the world championships in his international debut summer, was obviously fatigued in finishing 23rd Monday in the 10K in 1:49:54.5.
sa国际传媒鈥檚 Monday at the world aquatics championships was highlighted by the diving silver medal won by Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion of Quebec in the women鈥檚 10-metre synchronized event.
That was sa国际传媒鈥檚 third medal at the worlds, to go with Hedlin鈥檚 silver and the bronze in women鈥檚 three-metre synchronized diving over the weekend by Jennifer Abel and Pamela Ware.
Two-time Olympic-medallist swimmer Ryan Cochrane of Victoria begins his highly anticipated triple medal quest in the 400-, 800- and 1,500-metre freestyles when pool swimming begins Sunday with the 400 free final.
