Olympics: Gregorio Paltrinieri hits a stunning bronze and makes history!
Olympics: Gregorio Paltrinieri hits a stunning bronze and makes history!
Applause to Gregorio Paltrinieri: the Italian swimmer won a bronze medal in the 800-meter freestyle final at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Paltrinieri, who è surrendered to Ireland's Daniel Wiffen (gold) and America's Bobby Finke (silver), made swimming history: he è became the first Italian swimmer ever to go on the podium in three consecutive Olympics.
Great tactical intelligence for Paltrinieri, who waited until the 500-meter mark to go into progression and è stayed ahead of everyone for several laps before being overtaken by his rivals in the last 50 meters. Paltrinieri finished with a time of 7’39″38, gold medalist Wiffen won with a time of 7’38″19.
It's Italy's 10th medal at Paris 2024, the fourth bronze. These are the words of Paltrinieri: "Today the strategy was new, I have been waiting a long time to do something like this. I’m not soù fast anymore, but I honed more cards. I have been waiting for such a race for a long time, I am happy. This means everything. I convince myself that I’m okay when I get here. Sometimes I’m convinced I can’t do it anymore, it’s more these moments. Getting a medal at the first race … After the Seven Hills, where I had swam so badly, we had even thought about not doing the 800".
Italy won a total of 40 medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, setting a new record for the number of metals placed around its neck in a single edition of the Olympic Games. Taking the highest step; top step of the podium in Japan were Marcell Jacobs – Men’s 100 meters, Gianmarco Tamberi – Men’s high jump, Massimo Stano – Men’s 20 km march, Antonella Palmisano – Women’s 20 km march, Men’s 4×100 relay – Lorenzo Patta, Marcell Jacobs, Eseosa Desalu, Filippo Tortu, Federica Cesarini and Valentina Rodini – Rowing, women’s lightweight doubles, Francesco Lamon, Simone Consonni, Jonathan Milan and Filippo Ganna – Cycling, men’s team pursuit, Luigi Busà – Karate, kumite -75kg and Vito Dell’Aquila – Taekwondo, -58kg.
