Italy put together a stunning performance at the 2022 European Championships, swimming in front of a home Crowd in Rome. One of the best performances for Italy came in the men’s 800 free, where superstar distance swimmer Gregorio Paltirnieri shattered the Championship Record in 7:40.86, while 16-year-old Lorenzo Galossi won Bronze in a new World Junior Record of 7:43.37.
In addition to the records, Italy’s performances in the event continued an impressive streak. Italy has won a medal in the men’s LCM 800 free in every edition of the European Championships since the event was added to the schedule in 2008. They are the only country to have done so, racking up 12 medals in the event over the course of the 8 European Championships where the men’s 800 has been included.
Here is a breakdown of Italy’s European Championships medals in the men’s 800 free dating back to the first time it was on the schedule: the 2008 Championships in Eindhoven.
Eindhoven 2008
- SILVER – Samuel Pizzetti
Budapest 2010
- BRONZE – Samuel Pizzetti
Debrecen 2012
- SILVER – Gregorio Paltrinieri
Berlin 2014
- GOLD – Gregorio Paltrinieri
- BRONZE – Gabriele Detti
London 2016
- GOLD – Gregorio Paltrinieri
- SILVER – Gabriele Detti
Glasgow 2018
- SILVER – Gregorio Paltrinieri
Budapest 2020 (2021)
- SILVER – Gregorio Paltrinieri
- BRONZE – Gabriele Detti
Rome 2022
- GOLD – Gregorio Paltrinieri
- BRONZE – Lorenzo Galossi
There’s a lot to unpack here. Firstly, not only has Italy medaled in the event every time it’s been offered, they’ve won 12 medals across the 8 Championships including the event. Since European Championships limit the each country to a maximum of 2 swimmers who are allowed to compete in finals, that means Italy has had 16 opportunities to win a medal in the men’s 800 free. So, out of 16 potential medals, Italian swimmers have delivered on 12 of them, 3 of them being Gold.
This list of medals also speaks to the sustained success of the men’s distance swimmers Italy has been developing. The only Italian swimmer who has only won a single medal in the event at Euros is Lorenzo Galossi, and that’s because he’s only 16 years old. Gregorio Paltrinieri has won a medal in the 800 at 6 straight European Championships, winning Gold 3 times and holding the Championship Record, as well as the European Record in the event. Gabriele Detti has won medals in the 800 on 3 occasions, while Samuel Pizzetti medaled twice in the event.
It’s not just the European Championships where Italy has been highly successful in the men’s 800 free, Italy has produced some of the fastest 800 freestylers in history. Italy has 4 of the top 25 performers all-time in the men’s LCM 800 free, including Paltrinieri (#6), Detti (#10), Lorenzo Galossi (#17), and Federico Colbertaldo (#20).