Paris 2024 Olympics, bitter fourth place for Benedetta Pilato
A near podium, which leaves so much bitterness.
Benedetta Pilato dreams of a medal in the 100-meter breaststroke at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but sees it slip away by just a hundredth in a very open final with a dramatic outcome for the Taranto champion. After more than 70 meters at a very high level, in fact, comes the collapse in the final that leads her to finish behind South Africa's Tatjana Smith (gold with a time of 1:05.28), China's Tang Qianting (1:05.28) and Ireland's Mona McSharry (1:05.59). Instead, the Italian woman's stopwatch marks a mocking 1:05.60.
A bitter mockery for the Apulian class of 2005, who in her career has already won a world gold and four European golds (two in long and two in short pool). Instead, the Olympic curse continues: at the Tokyo Games she missed the qualification to the semifinals of the 100-meter breaststroke, suffering a disqualification for an irregular leg during the race.
Shortly before, also on Monday evening, swimming Italy had celebrated the sensational gold medal won by Thomas Ceccon. It was a masterful performance for the Venetian, perfect in the wait-and-see race strategy in the first 50 meters to then place the decisive stretch in the final. Behind him the Chinese Xu Jiayu, who won silver, and the U.S. Ryan Murphy, bronze.
Ceccon's gold è came on the heels of the medal of the same metal won by Nicolò Martinenghi in the 100 breaststroke. "I am speechless, I do not know what to say. Once again I proved that it only matters to be able to seize the moment. The time è was not the best, but only being on that podium matters. After winning World and European Championships I also managed to win the Olympics, è really fantastic. During the race I was not thinking about anything, thanks to everyone, I really have no words", his comment.
