Fukuoka World Championships, Benedetta Pilato bronze in the 50 breaststroke

Fukuoka World Championships, Benedetta Pilato bronze in the 50 breaststroke

For the third consecutive world championship Benedetta Pilato climbs the podium in the women’s 50 breaststroke. The 18-year-old from Taranto in Fukuoka, after silver medals in Gwangju 2019 and Budapest 2022, won bronze behind Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte, who repeated her gold from a year ago and her gold in the 100 at this rainbow event, and with a time of 29″16 she pulverized the world record of 29″30 that had been set by Benedetta herself at the European Championships in Budapest two years ago and that the Baltic had equaled yesterday.

30″04 was Benedetta’s time, which was also preceded by Lilly King of the United States, silver in 29″94. This medal comes at the end of a very complicated year for the Apulian, but one that puts her back in the world elite of the women’s breaststroke, and now she will change coach and train in Turin. Stunning fifth place in 30″11 for Anita Bottazzo, a year older than Benedetta but a rookie in the international field.

“I am happy, after such a year I really deserve this medal. It is the end of an era and the best way to close this course. I started hoping for it in the batteries even though I missed the last five meters. World records? They are made to be broken,” Benedetta Pilato told Sky Sports microphones at the end of the race.

The big disappointment of the day at home in Italy was the elimination of the men’s 4×100 mixed relay with Thomas Ceccon, Nicolò Martinenghi, Piero Codia and Manuel Frigo finishing ninth in the batteries. Ceccon then in the men’s 50 backstroke final finished fifth in 24″58, while Sara Franceschi finished sixth in 4’37″73 in the women’s 400 medley final. Italy’s final tally in the pool swimming events of these world championships is one gold, four silver and one bronze.