Erika Ferraioli posted a 24.37 to win the women’s 50 freestyle at the Mussi Lombardi Femiano swim meet in Viareggio. Ferrailoli’s time bettered her previous best by two one-hundredths of a second, tying the Italian record set by Cristina Chiuso in 2005.
The Italian, who now sits 12th in the world rankings, finished ahead of American Natalie Coughlin who posted a time of 24.49.
Ferraioli’s swim was the highlight of the second session of the competition while Federica Pellegrini stole the spotlight in the first session of the meet.
Pellegrini won the women’s 200 freestyle by four seconds recording a time of 1:52.89 which puts her fourth in the world rankings.
2014-2015 SCM Women 200 Free TYR World Ranking
SJOSTROM
1.50.78*WR
| 2 | Katinka HOSSZU | HUN | 1.51.18 | 12/07 |
| 3 | Femke HEEMSKERK | NED | 1.51.69 | 12/07 |
| 4 | Emma McKEON | AUS | 1.52.59 | 11/09 |
| 5 | Veronika POPOVA | RUS | 1.52.84 | 12/07 |
Her time was just off of the 1:52.80 which she posted to win the European Short Course Championships last December.
Pellegrini was not the only Italian to record a world’s top ten time on the first day of competition, Ilari Bianchi and Marco Orsi did as well.
Bianchi posted a 56.81 to win the women’s 100 butterfly placing her sixth in the world rankings.
2014-2015 SCM Women 100 Fly TYR World Ranking
SJOSTROM
54.61*WR
| 2 | Ying LU | CHN | 55.25 | 12/07 |
| 3 | Jeanette OTTESEN | DEN | 55.32 | 12/07 |
| 4 | Inge DEKKER | NED | 56.03 | 08/31 |
| 5 | Emma McKEON | AUS | 56.21 | 11/09 |
| 6 | Xinyi CHEN | CHN | 56.49 | 12/07 |
While Orsi took the win in the men’s 100 freestyle recording a time of 46.76 which puts him seventh in the world rankings. He also won the men’s 50 butterfly finishing in a time of 23.24.
There were several others who put up times that place in the top 20 of the world rankings.
Aurora Ponsele won the women’s 800 freestyle in a time of 8:21.10 which ranks 11th in the world. She was followed by Chiara Masini Luccetti who posted an 8:22.61 which ranks 13th and Carli Diletta who touched in a time of 8:25.08 which ranks 16th.
Fabio Scozzoli took the men’s 100 IM in a time of 53.26 which puts him 14th in the world rankings. Scozzoli also won the men’s 50 breaststroke posting a time of 26.68.
In the same race Claudio Fossi recorded a 26.75 which puts him 15th in the world rankings while Francesco Di Lecce finished in a time of 26.81 which ranks him 19th.
Edoardo Giorgetti took the men’s 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:05.98 which ranks 15th in the world. Fossi took his second silver of the day finishing in a time of 2:06.83 which puts him 20th in the world.
Margherita Panziera upset Pellegrini in the 200 backstroke, winning the event in a time of 2:05.99, almost three seconds faster than her lifetime best. Panziera’s time places her 15th in the world while Pellegrini posted a 2:06.50 which ranks 20th.
Niccolo Bonacchi won the men’s 100 backstroke in a time of 51.64 which ranks 19th in the world.
Full results can be found here.