Gregorio Paltrinieri, painful rainbow renunciation

Gregorio Paltrinieri at home

A last-place finish in the 800 freestyle final convinced Gregorio Paltrinieri to raise the white flag. The Emilian in fact decided, in agreement with coach Fabrizio Antonelli and the staff of the Italian national team, to forgo his 1500 race at the World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. His rainbow event therefore ended with a gold in the mixed 4×1.5-kilometer relay and a silver in the 5-kilometer open water, but no podium finishes in the pool.

In the 100 freestyle the program opened with the very good Sofia Morini managing to get through the round. The 20-year-old from Reggio Emilia – a card-carrying member of Esercito and NC Azzurra 91, coached by Fabrizio Bastelli – swam in 54″50, with a good pass in 26″06 and a return in 28″44, for the 13th entry time into the semifinals. “First of all, I am proud to be here and to represent Italy,” says Morini, fourth at Rome 2022 with the 4×100 sl and making her rainbow debut in an individual race, “The time is decent, considering that I had finalized my preparation for the Settecolli. I will have fun this afternoon.” Fastest is Hong Kong athlete and Olympic runner-up Siobhan Haughey in 53″15, ten hundredths better than U.S. Abbey Weitzeil in 53″25. Third is Australia’s Emma McKeown – gold medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – in 53″40.

Pride and class for Martina Carraro who, after a below-expectation 100, qualified for the semifinals of the 200 breaststroke. The 30-year-old from Genoa vice European champion – a member of Fiamme Azzurre and coached by Cesare Casella – is thirteenth in 2’26″10. “I made some considerations with Cesare (Casella ed.) after the 100 breaststroke and on the preparation – says the Ligurian married last year to former Italian captain Fabio Scozzoli – We probably made some mistakes, because at the beginning of the year I thought I would focus everything on the 200 and not to compete here in the 100. However, I am happy with this qualification: it was needed and in the afternoon I count on swimming better. It will not be easy to get into the final.” Dutch Tes Schouten leads in 2’22″43.