After Kazan, Abu Dhabi to write a new page in the history of Italian swimming. The Italian national team has all the credentials to improve the medal tally of Shanghai 2006, when the Azzurri climbed to the podium 12 times placing the men’s relays twice on the top step. The World Championship in short course has never been an event that has reserved enormous satisfactions for the Italian team, even in recent times: Hangzhou in 2018 saw Italy climb the podium seven times with three silvers and four bronzes, while the last blue gold dates back to Windsor 2016 and is signed by Federica Pellegrini in the 200 freestyle.
Italy looks fierce at the appointment in the Middle East even if few Italian athletes have specifically prepared this appointment, which comes at the end of a grueling year, characterized by the run-up to the Olympic Games, the big appointment in Tokyo and an autumn full of competitions between ISL, European and National Championships. In short the only certainty is called tiredness but Italnuoto has accustomed fans to amazing performances and results and, in an edition in which many big names will be missing (in particular Americans and Australians but not only) Italy will try to play the leading role that suits it in such an important phase of its history.
The chances of the Azzurri’s medals are so many and the beauty is that it will not be exclusively the “usual suspects” to assault the podium. There will be them and there will be a handful of young people who have already made Italy great in Tokyo first and then in Kazan, retouching record after record of participation in the finals and of medals won.
DECEMBER 16. Italy has what it takes to start off on the right foot. In the 400 freestyle Matteo Ciampi, European silver, he can enter the fight for the podium even if it will not be easy at all, given that at the start there is the British Dean, the Lithuanian Rapsys (absent in Kazan and specialist in the short course) and the European champion Kroon who will not be easy to beat. among the outsiders there is also Marco De Tullio, less performing in a short pool than in the Olympic pool.
Alberto Razzetti, instead, he can aim for the podium in the 200 butterfly, a specialty in which, beating the Hungarian phenomenon Milak (absent here), he became European champion. He will play with Chad Le Clos, who in short course is always a dangerous opponent, with the Norwegian Zenimoto Hvas, who forfeited in Kazan for a flu attack, the Brazilians Lanza and De Deus, protagonists of the ISL and the American Harting. Razzetti could also try us in the 200 mixed men, strangely placed at the opening of the program, but the risk is to waste too much energy. Certainly there will not be Ceccon (registered for this race) who will focus everything on the fast relay. The assault on the podium by Ilaria Cusinato is more complicated, however in Riccione she appeared in excellent condition and Sara Franceschi, European silver, on the podium of the 400 meds that have the two great favorites in the Canadian Pickrem and the American Margalis, already protagonists in the ISL.
At the end of the program the most important medal card for Italy that starts as favorite in the 4 × 100 freestyle men with Zazzeri, Deplano, Miressi and Ceccon who will try to get another great satisfaction after the Olympic silver. Team to beat Russia, but also beware of the Americans who, even without some stars, could have their say.
DECEMBER 17. It is the day of the blue frogmen. In the women’s 50s, Arianna Castiglioni and Benedetta Pilato are in the pool, respectively gold and silver to the Europeans in Kazan but this time the competition for the top step of the podium is titled and represented by the world record holder, the Jamaican Alia Atkinson who is always very difficult to beat in the short course. The blues are still on the podium, even if the condition of both will not be optimal. In the men’s 100 breaststroke, Italy focuses on the European champion and Olympic bronze Nicolò Martinenghi who faces the usual battle shoulder to shoulder with the world record holder, the Belarusian Shymanovich, the Dutch Kamminga, the Turkish Sakci and the American Fink.
Some hope of joining the fight for the positions that matter may have there 4 × 50 mixed women, with Scalia, Di Liddo, Pilato (or Castiglioni) and Di Pietro which could be very competitive but here the competition is certainly not lacking. A sign could also go there 4 × 50 mixed freestyle: Zazzeri and Miressi ensure a lot of quality for men, Di Pietro and Cocconcelli they will have to resist the return of their rivals and often manage to give their best in fast relays. Lorenzo Mora and Matteo Rivolta they can play the role of outsider in the 100 backstroke but some of the big names, including the Russian Kolesnikov, the Romanian Glinta, the Brazilian Guido and the Greek Christou, just to name a few, must be distracted to allow the Azzurri to enter the medal round .
He will also try Ilaria Bianchi, she was the first gold medalist in a World Championship in a short course nine years ago, to get on the podium in what has gradually become her race in the 25-meter pool, the 200 butterfly. In Europe she hasn’t dropped from the podium for four years, but at this distance she misses the medal: it can be done also because she has learned to manage herself better and not to shoot all the cartridges in the first part of the race.
DECEMBER 18. At the halfway point other medal cards for Italy that will not be in contention for the podium in the men’s 200 breaststroke and in the women’s 100 style. He’ll try, but the shape doesn’t look like the best days, Margherita Panziera in the 200 backstroke, a race in which she was second in the European Championships behind the great favorite Kira Toussaint. Attention to the Canadian specialist Kylie Masse, the Belarusian Shkurdai and many outsiders including the Russians.
Among the big favorites of the 100 butterfly men is Matteo Rivolta who has shown an optimal state of form in recent weeks and will try to compete with athletes of the caliber of Tom Shields, great specialist of the short course, Chad Le Clos, the Norwegian Zenimoto Hvas, the Hungarian Szabo and also the blue Michele Lamberti who was a great protagonist in Kazan (he is European silver in the specialty) and wants to be ready also in Abu Dhabi. He wants the medal and, why not, also the revenge of the Europeans, Simona Quadarella who once again faces the all-European challenge with the Russian Kirpichnikova (three gold medals in Kazan) and the German Gose (European bronze) in the 800 freestyle. From the podium also the 4 × 50 mixed relay mixed with many solutions available to coach Butini.
DECEMBER 19. Day that could prove to be triumphal for the blue expedition. It starts with the men’s 4 × 50 freestyle and Italy, European silver behind the Netherlands, starts among the big favorites for the victory. We need the best Silvia Di Pietro, and it is not certain that there is not, to assault the podium of the 50 butterfly women who present at the start some of the best performers in the world, from Sjoestroem to Kromowidjojo, from Barratt and Gastaldello, passing through Ntountounaki and De Waard.
Marco Orsi, but also Thomas Ceccon, can be great protagonists in the 100 medley. The Bolognese is the reigning European champion but he will have to deal with Kolesnikov, Vazaios, Seto and Michael Andrew, all people who if they guess the right race are not at all easy to beat and in the challenge for the podium even Ceccon cannot be discarded a priori . Simona Quadarella’s task in the 400 freestyle was very difficult: on paper, the places on the podium are reserved by the Hong Kong specialist Siobahn Haughey, ruler of the ISLs, the European champion Kirpichnikova and the Canadian McIntosh but, with a good physical condition, the Roman swimmer will try to fit into the positions that matter.
There is Lorenzo Zazzeri vying for a heavy medal in the fastest race, the 50 freestyle who have many favorites but not an absolute master, since they are absent, just to name two, Dressel and Chalmers. Morozov, Szabo, Proud and De Boer the most successful opponents of the Tuscan specialist, silver at the European Championships. Michele Lamberti faces his favorite race, the 50 backstroke knowing that it will be almost impossible to beat the favorite, the Russian Kolesnikov but who can play evenly against all other rivals: from Glintas to Diener from Guido to Christou. The men’s 4 × 200 relay will also try to get on the podium which may surprise but does not start with the favors of the prediction, unless there is a sudden growth in condition for some protagonist who so far has not yet managed to express himself at his best at this stage of the season.
DECEMBER 20. Another day of high tension for Italy that can immediately take great satisfaction in 4 × 50 mixed male with Zazzeri as driver and Orsi possible added value. Ilaria Cusinato and Sara Franceschi they can have their say in the 200 medley without starting favorites to get on the podium. Matteo Rivolta will again challenge the Hungarian Szabo (European champion) in the 50 butterfly, which also sees the continental bronze Thomas Ceccon at the start but the Azzurri will also have to pay attention to the expert specialists Santos, from Brazil, and Shields, from the US.
Alberto Razzetti is back on stage, after the efforts of the first day, trying again in the 400 medley, race that is slowly learning to know and that has seen him protagonist at the European Championships, both in long course (silver) and in short course (again silver). Seto, Borodin and Scott are the men to beat, certainly not any three athletes but the blue can be ready in case one of the three goes into trouble. Martina Carraro, European champion, and Arianna Castiglioni they will try to get on the world podium, perhaps leaving behind that Alia Atkinson capable of giving her best in races of this type.
DECEMBER 21st. Italy closes with some of its stars in the competition: first of all the world record holder Gregorio Paltrinieri who will see it in a 1500 free style that promises to be of the highest level with the opponents of recent seasons, the German Wellbrock and the Ukrainian Romanchuk. Alessandro Miressi has all the credentials to fight for the victory in the 100 freestyle where the important absences of Dressel and Chalmers will weigh but where the match against the Russian Kolesnikov who won in Kazan a month ago at the European Championships will be renewed.
Francesca Fangio, European bronze, he will have to overcome himself to aim for the podium in the women’s 200 breaststroke but the feat is not impossible, while the best Lorenzo Mora, continental silver, he can get great satisfaction in the men’s 200 backstroke where the Olympic champion Rylov will not be at the start. Also in the running for a medal Michele Lamberti, while the opponents of the Azzurri can be the Polish expert Kawecki and the German Diener.
Nicolò Martinenghi will try to have his say in the 50 frog where the big favorite is still the Belarusian Shymanovich but the blue has all the characteristics to enter the fight for the big target. Italy also won medals in the men’s mixed relay (which could also be played for gold) and, why not, in the women’s mixed one, if all the blue protagonists were in great shape.
Photo Lapresse
