Fabio Scozzoli says no more swimming
The words of Fabio Scozzoli
He gave us his last thrill this afternoon in the 50 breaststroke, of which he was Italian record holder in the long breaststroke until 2017 with 26″91 at the World Championships in Budapest. He leaves the baton to Nicolò Martinenghi, world champion of the 100 breaststroke in Budapest 2022 and European champion of the 100 and 50 breaststroke in Rome 2022, and the captain’s stripes to Gregorio Paltrinieri. In the A final he was fourth with 27″36, exactly the same time he achieved in the morning battery, when he was fifth overall, at the foot of a podium all painted blue. Final won by Simone Cerasuolo with the cadet Italian record of 26″76, second Nicolò Martinenghi with 26″90 and third Ludovico Blu Art Viberti with 27″31, who had set a personal best of 27″02 in the battery. “I am happy. The important thing was to finish with a good final. So it was less difficult. Swimming leaves me a lot: dreams fulfilled, the affection of people who understood my simplicity, the esteem and friendship of the many people I met and with whom I worked, competed and trained.”
He wanted to say goodbye to friends and teammates, technicians and managers, judges and fans right here in Rome, in the most beautiful pool in the world, the one of records and a thousand emotions, and especially on the occasion of the Trofeo Settecolli, to which he is particularly attached. The 34-year-old from Imola, who will be 35 next August 3, closes a career that began in the national team in 2007 and a trophy case in which 31 international medals shine between World and European Championships. “The decision was made with lightness and serenity. I would have liked to make it to the Paris 2024 Olympics with my wife Martina and then quit together with her, but I anticipated this decision after realizing that I was no longer competitive in the pool and able to maintain my standards.”
Fabio is leaving competitive swimming but not swimming, in fact he has already embarked on the path to become a coach and join his longtime coach Cesare Casella at Imolanuoto. “I want to make young swimmers understand that they can count on me with technical and methodological but also more personal advice.”
