Paltrinieri wins gold in 1500, 4×100 mixed gold relay. Silver Pilate in the 50 frogs- Corriere.it

Never doubt Greg. Devastating. The only man capable of transforming the 1500s as if they were a World Cup final. Widespread chills, the Duna Arena went crazy, even non-Italians cheering for him. After the disappointment in the 800sin the 1500s Gregorio Paltrinieri he brings out all the anger in the world (“They pissed me off,” he laughs now) and runs the race he promised: qualified with the seventh fastest time – and it turns out now not by chance but by precise tactical calculation -, he sits in the lane side, hoping to be taken lightly, out of the grip of the opponents, Wellbrock the German and Finke the American. And he leaves. He immediately starts to rocket and tries to set the pace. He knows well that if he gets to play the sprint race, the others have more. So he runs away immediately: at 800 he is still in the lead, at 1200 he stretches and the others no longer see him: 14’32 ” 80, a time not far from the world record in 14’31 ” 02 and if you thought there was a new generation advancing in the middle distance, repent immediately: there is Greg and then there are the others, second is the American Finke (14’36”70) and third the German Wellbrock (14’36”94).

“I was super disappointed the other day, but I know I’m there. I wanted to demonstrate it, go fast and I think I made it », the first words. «I love to swim and I would not do anything else, but when you lose you wonder where you are wrong. Today I said to myself “give it all, rather die in the tank” ». And again: «Maybe someone thought you were finished. But I don’t let myself be influenced by the judgment of others, only when doubts begin to come to me is it dangerous; so I asked myself “but isn’t it that the others are stronger?”, then I thought about it for a moment and I said: “no, the strongest is still me”. Only that it had to be proved. ‘ Gold is all of him, and it is a miracle of heart, courage, but also tactics. Studied after the disappointment in the 800 closed in fourth place, vivisected frame by frame in the room with the coach Fabrizio Antonelli. He explains: «In the central lanes he felt hunted by the others, he was not at ease with him. So we were able to calculate the time and qualify in the heat with a time that would allow us to stay in the side lane in the final ». Out of the bedlam, straight to gold.

4×100 gold mixed relay

And on the wings of Greg’s enthusiasm, it is the 4×100 mixed relay was also golden: Ceccon (back), Martinenghi (frog), Burdisso (butterfly), Miressi (style) succeed in the never successful feat of finishing, in 3’27”51, ahead of the United States (3’27”79) and to England (3’31”31). The world populace returns to the stands of the Duna Arena, Italy is a great swimming power.

Silver Pilate

It is a silver wet with a hint of disappointment that about 50 frogs for Benedetta Pilato after the surprise gold in the 100: in the race where he holds the world record (29”30) Benny wanted at all costs to touch in front of everyone, instead he closes behind the Lithuanian revenant Meilutyte with 29”80 who had left the I swim for six years amid Benny’s skepticism (“One who doesn’t swim six years doesn’t come back and makes 29”7″). However, never mind, Benedetta knew she was not in perfect shape (and yes, the menstrual cycle also has to do with it), but perhaps she expected to do better: “Yes, there is a bit of disappointment, but in reality I can’t complain, a world gold and a silver, I thought they would come in reverse, but that’s okay. Time does not satisfy me but I knew that the condition was not perfect. What did I do wrong? Maybe the departure, I was a bit tense even if I managed it better than other occasions ».

Ceccon, shaded bronze

The bronze of Thomas Ceccon
in the 50 back after a yellow card: first the disqualification of the American Ress who had closed in front of everyone, then the appeal of the United States. “I’ve never been able to swim well in the 50’s because I didn’t have the right frequency, or it was too high or it was too low. Now I have found a balance, I take the water well and I feel good sensations even in the short term ». A difficult race: the Americans Ress and Armstrong seemed unbeatable, the first has already swam under 24 seconds and the second holds the world record in 23 “71, and in third place Thomas was also surpassed by the Pole and placed immediately behind Christou. But then the disqualification had returned the cards. “Today I was not as fluid as yesterday, the way I am is as if I did not have this medal around my neck”, the comment of Ceccon in the heat, immediately after the bronze in the 50 backstroke. “I don’t know what he did, maybe something on arrival” says the blue speaking of the penalty received by the American Ress. «There was tension, when you are in charge for the medal you tend to be nervous but if I had finished fourth it would have been for 2 cents and I would have turned a little. For sure, the 50s are not Olympic distance, I like doing them and I’m happy to do them, but they are a World Cup race and stop ».

HERE the program and the results of the whole day