Worlds, Simone Cerasuolo gold in the 50 breaststroke

At the World Championships in Singapore, the first gold for Italy in swimming events has finally arrived after four silvers and a bronze: Simone Cerasuolo won it in the men’s 50 breaststroke.

The Imola-born 22-year-old swam 26″54, beating Russian Kirill Prigoda, silver in 26″62, and Chinese Haiyang Qin, bronze in 26″67.

For Cerasuolo this is his first medal at the World Championships in the long-distance pool; over the same distance he won a silver at the European Championships and a silver and bronze at the World Championships in the short-distance pool.

“I wanted to win a medal, but it was not a given, in the 50 breaststroke I proved to be very fast, but in the finals the fastest does not win, but the strongest,” Cerasuolo told Sky Sports.

“I have become a solid athlete: I made a few mistakes and there’s margin, but the important thing was to win – he added – The start was not the best, the last three strokes were a little bit’ wider. I tried to do the best I could. My family has passed on values to me that go beyond sports and I am happy to carry them on”.