Swimmers from seven countries were in Rio de Janeiro to compete in the 'King and Queen of the Sea' marathon swimming relay, which took place on Sunday at Copacabana beach.

Nicknamed the 'little princess of the sea', Copacabana – which will host the Rio 2016 Games marathon swimming and triathlon events – charmed the swimmers, who competed in mixed doubles and were from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Japan, South Africa and the United States.

While waiting for the competition to start, the group, which comprised Olympic and world championship medallists, seized the opportunity to get to know the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games host city, visiting sights such as the Christ the Redeemer statue.

Five-time Olympic champion Aaron Peirsol, from the USA, said: “It's my first time in South America, not only in Brazil, and I'm very happy to be here. Copacabana is a very different beach, a very beautiful place.”

Brazilians Poliana Okimoto, the 2013 world champion, and Samuel de Bona, bronze medallist in the same competition, won Sunday's event ahead of Chad Ho from South Africa and South Africa-born Keri-Anne Payne, who competed for Great Britain at London 2012, with Italian duo Valerio Cleri and Alice Franco coming third. “Swimming here in the Olympic setting, in one of the city’s postcard locations, is a great pleasure”, said Poliana. De Bona added: “Marathon swimming has everything to do with Rio de Janeiro.”

Aaron Peirsol and Ashley Twichell, from the United States (photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)

Payne, the Beijing 2008 Games silver medallist, was also in Brazil for the first time. For her, competing in the next Olympic host city was a large part of the appeal. “Expectations of competing in the same venue that will host the next Olympic Games are very high”, she said.

Chad Ho and Keri-Anne Payne (photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)

Japan's Yasunari Hirai, who competed at the London 2012 Games, approved of Copacabana beach as the setting for marathon swimming: “I have never been to Brazil before and am enjoying Rio de Janeiro a lot,” he said. “Copacabana beach, besides being very beautiful, is great for marathon swimming.”

Kaoru Yamanaka and Yasunari Hirai, from Japan (photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)

Alice Franco, European champion and bronze medallist at the world championships, was impressed by the warm welcome the athletes received in the city: “I came to Rio for the first time in January, with the Italy national team, for a period of training and I felt very comfortable in the city. Copacabana beach is beautiful, and Brazilians are like Italians,” she said.

Alice Franco and Valerio Cleri, from Italy (photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)