World Swimming Championships, diving: Pellacani-Santoro silver in mixed synchro
World Swimming Championships, diving: Pellacani-Santoro d'silver in synchro mixed
Matteo Santoro and Chiara Pellacani hit silver in the mixed synchro, confirming their place on the rainbow podium after their second place in Budapest 2022 and third place in Fukuoka 2023, in the first final of the last day of the World Championships at the Hamad Aquatic Center in Doha. This is the 24th rainbow medal, completing the tenth consecutive podium for the Azzurri.
Almost flawless, once again, the performance of the two Azzurri, marred only and slightly by the triple somersault and half forward pike (58.59), but embellished by a super double somersault and half back pike (68.40) that allowed them to rise from fourth to second position.
It's the apotheosis for technical director Oscar Bertone's national team, which closes with two medals and, above all, ten Olympic cards for Paris 2024: five taken in Doha and as many between the European Games and the world championships in Japan last summer.
It starts with the compulsories, a weak point for the Azzurri. This time forò the ordinary back pike (46.20) and the inverted pike (45.00) are quite in synchro. The Azzurri are fourth with 91.20. Leading the way are Australians Domonic Bedggood and Maddison Keeney with 95.40, ahead of Americans Noah Duperre and Bridget O'Neil with 94.20 and Britons Ross Haslam and Grace Reid with 93.00.
The real final starts with the frees that bring out technical and individual qualities of the various pairs. Santoro and Pellacani increase the rounds and just to start they perform a double somersault and half forward with a perfect pike in the synchro and flawless in the entry (69.30): second with 160.50, preceded only by Australia with 167.40. Third è Great Britain with 157.80, heeled by Korea with 157.25.
Fourth routine, trampoline burning and emotions soaring. It's forbidden to make a mistake. The triple somersault and half forward pike of Chiara and Matteo è excellent in synchronism, but the entry of the blue è slightly poor perhaps due to excessive speed (58.59): two positions lost and fourth place with 219.09. At the top always the Aussies with 231.57, then Great Britain with 226.20, Korea with 222.03; fifth and threatening are Mexicans Jahir Ocampo and Paola Pineda with 215.91.
Last round in which everything è still hangs in the balance. Before going on the trampolines Tommaso Marconi catechizes and charges Santoro and Pellacani. The two boys respond great with a double somersault and half-turned pike that è a masterpiece of lucidity è and technique (68.40) and score that arrives at 287.49; South Korea does not go beyond 285.03 and è bypassed, as Great Britain. Only Australia holds on. It's silver.
