Gregorio Paltrinieri, surprise elimination
Gregorio Paltrinieri eliminated
Bitterness in closing for Gregorio Paltrinieri eliminated in the 1500 freestyle with the ninth chrono. The Olympic, tri-world and tri-European champion – a member of Fiamme Oro and Coopernuoto, followed at the Centro Federale di Ostia by Fabrizio Antonelli – touches in 15'55"19, overtaken in the last twenty-five meters by the Turkish Kuzey Tuncelli who marks just the eighth overall time in 15'54"98. "I am very angry with myself becauseé these things should not happen – says Paltinieri, bronze in the 800 and silver with the 4×1.5km in open water – In order not to push too hard at the end I found myself in the middle of the Turkish and Irish Daniel Wiffen (sixth time tally in 14'54"29) and I stayed out of the final. This morning I actually didn't feel at my best, but that isn't a justification. I am pissed becauseé I think about what I could have done in the final". Also out was Luca De Tullio (Fiamme Oro/CC Aniene) who in 15'00"22 did not go beyond 13th place. The best è German Florian Weelbrock – world gold in Gwangju 2019 – in 14'48"43.
"I am very angry – continued Gregorio Paltrinieri – I have to learn to manage the batteries better conservatively, but without risking too much. I didn’t feel particularly good, soò I can’t swim 14’55”. No I wanted to waste energy because Ié know I have to manage myself, forà in between I fell asleep. Even having taken off the ten kilometers, I arrived a little tired in the pool; I ran a good 800, won the medal, forò I risked going out in the battery. This morning I didn’t have a good feeling: I just thought I wanted to come in doing the least effort possible and then play it out in the finals. Instead, I didn’t play it. I am sorry, è bad like that, because Ié know that in the final I would have had another chance. I risked too much”.
"Bad, very bad – says Luca De Tullio – I absolutely did not expect to do this time but swim much less. I wanted to at least get close to the time I managed to do Dublin, at the European under-23s a few months ago which è was 14’54”31. The difference in the passes the difference è by a few tenths, però of course everything plays its part. I don't know what happened to me, I have to analyze it, I probably started a little bit; braked, I was a little bit afraid to put myself on a faster pace right away to stay with the others. After però the race I was able to manage it according to me, I was able to make a progression in the 500 meters. I è missed the initial part that è was decisive. Let’s hope well at the absolutes where I will è treasure these mistakes and try to improve myself”.
