LEAH CRISP described her Olympic debut as ‘just the beginning’ of her open water journey after finishing 20th in the marathon swim.

The 22-year-old from Wakefield was inside the top 10 in the early stages of the 10km slog in the Seine, which included six loops between Pont Alexandre III and Pont de l’Alma.

She lost ground on the leaders thereafter but took plenty from the experience having only transitioned in to the long-distance event last year.

"It was a really tough race,” she said. “I really gave my all to get to the end there, especially against the current.

MAKING A SPLASH: Wakefield's Leah Crisp during the Women's 10km marathon swim at Pont Alexandre III Picture: David Davies/PA

“I’m slightly disappointed in the result, I’d like to have placed higher in the race.

"But I’m proud of the journey I’ve taken, being quite new in the open water, just to get to the start line today. So, for me, it’s just the beginning."

The race was won by Dutch iron woman Sharon van Rouwendaal, who also won gold in Rio before claiming silver in Tokyo last time out.

She reeled in Australia’s Moesha Johnson in the final stretch in the Seine, which hosted the race as planned after the water quality met acceptable standards, and dedicated the victory to her dog, named Rio after her 2016 triumph, who passed away in May.

GOOD SHOWING: Wakefield's Leah Crisp. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA

Crisp, who studies Economics and Mathematics at the University of Bath, revelled in the views afforded by the central Parisian course and returns with plenty of learnings.

“The location is amazing,” she said. “A few times looking up you could see the Eiffel Tower in the background, and you do think ‘wow’.

“It was challenging but this is an amazing place to have the race.

"My race plan went really well on the first lap. But a couple of times I got stuck taking the wrong line, where there might have been slightly more current, and fell back a little bit.

“I guess it’s about experience, I’ve never experienced anything like that before.

“I have lots to learn and a lot of it would be about holding my own line.

“Especially keeping that line down the inside, and how important it is to keep that during a race. Not letting other people in at points and really fighting for your position.

"I have lots to learn about how to handle different situations, different types of currents, different types of water and those kinds of things."

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Leah Crisp learns fast at start of what she plans to be marathon swimming career