World Swimming Championships, Thomas Ceccon only silver

Thomas Ceccon silver

A silver won on the comeback, accomplice to a faltering starter who planted him on the device and an imperfect finish. However, another pearl of a boundless talent who at twenty-two is already writing indelible pages of history. Thomas Ceccon leaves the 100 backstroke title to U.S. Ryan Murphy – Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo – who wins in 52″22. The Schio star swam in 52″27, with a pass in 25″50, compared to the 25″27 of the semifinal closed with a 52″16 controlled to conserve energy, in view of the following final of the 50 butterfly, which he won with an Italian record (26″68). That performance would have been enough to win, but the final is always a different race, which sometimes lives on episodes that one must learn to manage. On the lowest step of the podium went the other American Hunter Armstrong in 52″58. Times far from the world record that the Italian stamped in 51″60 for the rainbow victory in Budapest and that seemed approachable.

“I swam worse than yesterday; I am happy for the medal which is still a world silver, but I know I made mistakes. I felt good in the water, I knew I was defending the title, but I didn’t particularly suffer from the pressure. Maybe I am not used to competing in a central position, close to opponents who want to beat me. From the side I’m doing better. I’ll take second place, the time no, because I know I’m worth less.”

Regret for a world silver makes the size of a true phenomenon, who always wants to go beyond his limits and explore unimaginable horizons.

With this silver medal, Thomas Ceccon becomes the third Italian swimmer to stand at least six times on the world podium in the long-distance pool, bypassing Massimiliano Rosolino (5); ahead of him are Gregorio Paltrinieri (8) and Federica Pellegrini (11), but he has before him time and quality to make the overtaking. In addition, for the first time in the history of Italian long-distance swimming, Ceccon has been able to stand on the podium three times in two editions of the world championships-Stefano Battistelli and Giorgio Lamberti in Perth 1991 and Nicolò Martinenghi in Budapest 2022 were able to do so in one edition. This world championship, however, is not even halfway through yet.