Sara Curtis, another record after wiping out Federica Pellegrini
Many Italian nationals engaged, some even in double rounds, in the batteries of the penultimate day of the 23rd European Short Course Championships in Lublin. A morning that serves as a prelude to an evening that will see Sara Curtis and Carlos D’Ambrosio in the finals in the 100 freestyle and Alberto Razzetti and Anita Gastaldi in the 200 medley. Bold and speedy Azzurri in the 50 backstroke will open the morning program. It’s shaping up to be an adrenaline-filled Saturday for Sara Curtis, also starting the 100 freestyle final in the evening after setting the Italian record (51″29) in the semifinals, who doesn’t know what it means to go slow and retouches her Italian record, entering the next round with the best time . Sustained pace for the 19-year-old from Savigliano – carded for Esercito and CS Roero, coached in Italy by Thomas Maggiora and in the U.S. by Todde DeSorbo – who swims in 25″97, with a lightning-fast first twenty-five in 12″76 and a “controlled” return in 13″21, and retouches the 26″03 sealed in Budapest in 2024 for sixth place in the rainbow. Behind the Cuneo native, the only one to fall below 26″ in the morning, there’s Britain″s Lauren Cox in 26″15; then the rest of the competition is over four tenths.
Green light also for Francesco Lazzari, standard-bearer like Curtis of the mixed mixed d’oro, and Lorenzo Mora with fifth and eighth timesheets, respectively. The 21-year-old from Lombardy, revealed to the general public at the recent Nico Sapio – carded for Sport Club Ispra and followed by Federico Lavacca – closes in 23″21; nine hundredths better than the 27-year-old from Emilia – carded for Fiamme Rosse and VVFF Modena, prepared by Arianna Barbieri, fifth in the 100 won by Thomas Ceccon – who touches in 23″30. He commands Estonia’s Ralf Tribuntsov in 22″86. Far from the best Christian Bacico (Army) in 24″13.
Deserved luck for rookie Irene Burato who qualified for the semifinals of the 50 breaststroke with the 14th time. The 18-year-old from Thiene, Vicenza, – a member of Team Veneto and a student of Davide Bizzotto – finished in 30″22 and shaved twelve hundredths off her personal best. The fastest is Estonia’s Eneli Jefimova in 29″48. As always in recent years, the batteries of the men’s 50 breaststroke count as a final for the Azzurri. Again on this occasion, as was the case for the double distance, they take the pass from long-distance world champion Simone Cerasuolo and reigning European champion Nicolò Martinenghi, who have been going strong, very strong since the morning. The 22-year-old from Romagna – a member of Fiamme Oro and Imolanuoto, a pupil of Cesare Casella – places best time in 25″52 and personal best, limiting ten hundredths to the 25″62 recorded for fourth place at the World Championships in Budapest last year; also on the mark, the 26-year-old from Varese and Italian record holder (25″37) –carded CC Aniene and coached by Matteo Giunta, after winning it all with Marco Pedoja –second time in 25″84 as the always fearsome Turkish Emre Sakci. Paying the pledge again was Ludovico Blu Art fourth Viberti fourth but third among Italians. The 23-year-old from Turin –registered for Fiamme Oro and CN Torino, followed by Antonio Satta – 25″89 was not enough. In the sixteen, but farther back, is a tired Gabriele Mancini (Marina Militare/CN Torino) 13th in 26″41.
Blue sprinters on the launching pad since morning. An indefatigable Sara Curtis, in wonder woman version, and Silvia Di Pietro – both stars of the world-record mixed and the 4×women’50 freestyle silver – take the pass to the semifinals with the first and third times. Another level performance by the Cuneo woman who swam in 23″45 under the old Italian record of 23″68 Silvia Di Pietro, later brought by the Roman to 23″39 just in the finals in the first fraction of the fast relay. The Italian captain –registered for Carabinieri and CC Aniene, coached by Mirko Nozzolillo – touches in 23″70; dividing the two Italians there’is only Poland’s Katarzyna Wasick in 23″47.
