European Short Tub Championships, Italy gold in the 4×50 mixed
European Short Tub Championships, Italy gold in the 4×50 mixed
In Otopeni, France's Anastasia Kirpichnikova confirmed herself as European champion in the 800 freestyle in 8'04"48 but Simona Quadarella tooth and nail took silver in 8'14"83, also defending herself from the comeback of Hungary's Ajna Kesely, third in 8'18"73. The almost 25-year-old Roman emerges from the water with the anger of those who expected a lower chrono but the certainty that from a "defeat" can be born great victories, as often è happened in her career. "I am not disappointed with the silver, we would miss it, è it is always a medal in an important event – says Quadarella -. I expected to be faster, however, and the time does not satisfy me. I have to reset and think about the next competitions in Otopeni and then to prepare in the best way for next season".
Protagonists but off the podium were the Azzurri in the 100 butterfly final, won by Swiss talent and Olympic bronze medalist Noè Ponti with the record in European in 48"47, one hundredth better than the 48"48 in rubber swam by Russian Evgeny Korotyshkin in Berlin 2009. Matteo Rivolta è fourth and rookie Michele Busa eighth with a personal best. The 32-year-old from Milan and Italian record-holder (48"64) swam in 50"24, with the bronze placed around his neck by Britain’s Jacob Peters twenty-six hundredths away; the 22-year-old from Emilia finished in 50"61, lowering the 50"64 swam in the semifinals (prec. 50"72).
Shining and convincing were the Italians in the semifinals of the 50 freestyle: Lorenzo Zazzeri and Alessandro Miressi entered the final with the second and sixth times. Of high level the test of the 29-year-old Florentine, who touches in 20"85 one hundredth away from the personal best of 20"84 sealed two years ago in Kazan for the silver; the 27-year-old from Piedmont passes with a 21"02. Well in the semifinals of the 200 butterfly a battling Alessia Polieri who snatched the pass to the final with the sixth time. The 29-year-old from Emilia ends in 2'06"99.
Azzurri also did well in the 100 breaststroke: Nicolò Martinenghi and Simone Cerasuolo entered the finals with the fourth and fifth times, finishing in 57”08 and 57"21, respectively. Margherita Panziera qualifies for the final act of the 200 backstroke. The 28-year-old from Montebelluna, the Italian record holder (2'01"45) and reigning continental silver medalist, swam in 2'04"59, which is worth the sixth entry time.
In the last race of the day, the men's 4×50 mixed, Lorenzo Mora, Nicolò Martinenghi, Thomas Ceccon and Lorenzo Zazzeri put on a show and won the gold, the first at this continental event for Italy, with a time of 1'30"78, ahead of Great Britain and Holland.
