Thomas Ceccon, resounding elimination in the batteries of the 200 backstroke
Italian water polo, with the excitement of Simone Cerasuolo’s gold still in its eyes, restarts from fifth place in the medal standings (1-4-1) and third in terms of amount of podiums behind only the mighty United States and Australia. The Azzurri dive into the fifth session of batteries at the 22nd World Swimming Championships in Singapore, being held at the Aquatic Centre until Sunday, Aug. 3. Light and shade morning for technical director Cesare Butini’s national team: the women’s 4×200 freestyle snatches a pass to the finals; qualifying for the semifinals are Sara Curtis with the second time in the 100 freestyle, Christian Mantegazza in the 200 breaststroke and Christian Bacico with an 11th in the 200 backstroke that sees Thomas Ceccon first of the excluded; also stopping Francesca Fangio and Lisa Angiolini in the 200 breaststroke and Emma Virginia Menicucci in the 100 sl.
The Italian team also finished in the finals.
The 100 freestyle opens the program with Italian record-holder (53″01) Sara Curtis winning her battery, the eighth out of nine, and passing the round with the second time giving the feeling of having margin. The 18-year-old from Savigliano– a member of Esercito and CS Roero, coached by Thomas Maggiora– swam in 53″53 (as did Dutch Marrit Steenbergen), with a pass in 25″32 and a second fifty checked in 28″21, for the second personal best ever at precisely fifty-two hundredths from that record she set at the Absolute Championships when she obliterated the 53″18 sealed by the winner of all Federica Pellegrini on June 25, 2016 when she blew up the Rome Swimming Stadium during the 53rd Sette Colli Trophy. Ahead of her only the ’Aussie Mollie O’Callaghan – gold in the double distance – in 53″40. “There are margins for fun in the afternoon – says Curtis, European junior champion at Vilnius 2024 – I controlled enough in the battery. I felt good in the water, definitely looser than in the relays. I am very optimistic”. Eliminated was Emma Virgina Menicucci (Esercito/CC Aniene), the other member of the fast relay team seventh with an Italian record (3’35″18) on Sunday, 18th in 54″45; the 23-year-old from Turin needed to do better than 54″38 by Czech Barbora Janickova, 16th and last of the admitted athletes to pass the round.
She dusted off her personal best, erased the cadet Italian record of 1’56″91 set by Damiano Lestingi in rubber in Riccione in 2009, and qualified for the semifinals of the 200 backstroke with the 11th time. A perfect morning, to say the least, in short, for the talented Christian Bacico, who is confirmed to be growing and, above all, in great shape. Bravissimo the 20-year-old from Pavia – carded for Esercito and Como Nuoto Recoaro, always coached by Verika Scorza – who in 1’56″79 goes down for the first time in his career under 1’57 (previous 1’57″70) and climbs to fourth place among performers. Burning elimination, on the other hand, for Italian record holder (1’55″71) Thomas Ceccon – a member of Fiamme Oro and Leosport, prepared by Alberto Burlina – 17th and first of the excluded. The 24-year-old from Schio – bronze in the 50 butterfly, silver with the fast relay and in the 100 backstroke – swam in 1’57″15, paying the very slow last fifty in 30″49; it “ousts him” by four hundredths South African Pieter Coetze, the one who by five hundredths denied him gold in the 100, 16th in 1’57″11. He commands Canada’s Blake Tierney in 1’55″17. “I am overjoyed for what I swam this morning and for going under 1’57 – explains Bacico, bronze medalist at the World Juniors 2023 – In the afternoon we will have to take one more step to get into the finals and I will try. I have nothing to lose. I am already happy with my world championship”.
Performing from the morning, on the other hand, rookie Christian Mantegazza who snatched the pass for the next round of the 200 breaststroke, which was renounced by a tired and not in top condition Nicolò Martinenghi, with the thirteenth chronometric tally. The battery of the 20-year-old from Milan – a member of Fiamme Gialle and Team Trezzo, coached by Davide Conconi – swam in 2’11″10, with a valuable last fifty in 34″31. “I am happy with my debut. I thought I would go slightly stronger, though–explains the Milanese –This environment is beautiful and I am enjoying every moment. In the semifinals I will give everything”. Best time for Russian Aleksandr Zhigalov in 2’08″32.
In closing the 4×200 freestyle young and forward-looking qualified for the final with the seventh time. Matilde Biagiotti (1’59″39), Anna Chiara Mascolo (1’58″75), Bianca Nannucci (1’58″44) and Sofia Morini (2’00″44) swim a comfortable 7’57″02. Ahead is the United States in 7’49″43. For all speaks Bianca Nannucci (RN Florentia): “The first goal we hit it’and in the afternoon we only have the obligation to push hard. Compared to the past few days, I definitely feel better”.
Contrasting performances in the women’s 200 breaststroke for Lisa Angiolini and Francesca Fangio, who missed out on access to the semifinals. The 30-year-old Sienese woman –carded for Carabinieri and Virtus Buonconvento, followed by Gianluca Valeri –is 18th in 2’26″98; behind heris the 29-year-old from Livorno and Italian record holder (2’23″06) – carded for Esercito and In Sport Rane Rosse, a student of Stefano Franceschi – nineteenth in 2’27″01. Last of the qualifiers is Argentina’s Macarena Ceballos in 2’26″82. The fastest, on the other hand, is Russian under neutral flag Evugeniia Chikunova in 2’22″30, the only one to drop below 2’23 in the morning.
