2023 Sette Colli Trophy: Day 1 Prelims Recap

INTERNAZIONALI DI NUOTO 59° TROFEO SETTECOLLI

• Friday, June 23rd – Sunday, June 25th
• Prelims at 10am local (4am EDT)/Finals at 6pm local (Noon EDT)
• Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
• LCM (50m)
• World Championships Qualifier
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview/Men’s Top Races to Watch/Women’s Top Races to Watch
• Entry List
• Live Results

We entered day one of the 2023 Sette Colli Trophy with a giant display of talent descending upon the Foro Italico pool from around the world.

Along with a large Italian contingent competing as a last-chance opportunity to qualify for the World Championships, we’ll see a strong sprinkling of athletes stemming from Great Britain, Hungary, Sweden, Japan and more.

MEN’S 100 BACK – HEATS

• World Record – 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (ITA) 2022
• European Record – 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (ITA) 2022
• Sette Colli Record – 53.29, Mewen Tomac (FRA) 2020
• World Aquatics ‘A’ – 54.03

Top 10:

1. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 53.89
2. Simone Stefani (ITA) – 54.53
3. Apostolos Christou (GRE) – 54.77
4. Michele Lamberti (ITA) – 54.98
5. Roman Mityukov (SUI) – 55.01
6. Cameron Brooker (GBR) – 55.17
7. Oliver Morgan (GBR) – 55.26
8. Matteo Brunella (ITA) – 55.29
9. Ole Braunschweig (GER) – 55.34
10. Denis-Laurean Popescu (ROU) – 55.38

The reigning World Record holder Thomas Ceccon topped the men’s 100m back heats, clocking a morning swim of 53.89.

The 22-year-old earned the sole time of the field under 54 seconds, with teammate Simone Stefani next in line in 54.53. Greek national record holder Apostolos Christou registered a mark of 54.77 to round out the top 3.

Ceccon’s AM outing is already within range of his season-best result of 53.36 from April’s Italian Championships. That time was enough to qualify him for next month’s World Championships.

Christou, too, has already added his name to the Greek roster for Fukuoka, so this represents a tune-up swim for the Olympian.

Great Britain’s Oliver Morgan lurks as the 7th-seeded swimmer. The 20-year-old was the surprise national title winner at this year’s British Championships, with his lifetime best of 53.77 checking him in as GBR’s 5th fastest performer of all time.

Of note, South African national record holder Pieter Coetze was initially entered in the event but the Cal-bound athlete was a no-show. We’ve reached out to see if he is in Italy.

WOMEN’S 50 BACK – HEATS

• World Record – 26.98, Liu Xiang (CHN) 2018
• European Record – 27.10, Kira Toussaint (NED) 2021
• Sette Colli Record – 27.57, Holly Barratt (AUS) 2017
• World Aquatics ‘A’ – 1:00.59

Top 10:

1. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 27,92
2. Miki Takahashi (JPN) – 28.17
3. Maaike de Waard (NED) – 28.25
4. Costanza Cocconcelli (ITA) – 28.26
5. Medi Harris (GBR) – 28.29
6. Lauren Cox (GBR) – 28.40
7. Silvia Scalia (ITA) – 28.44
8. Anita Gastaldi (ITA) – 28.47
9. Francesca Pasquino (ITA) – 28.52
10. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 28.53

Just one swimmer dipped under the 28-second barrier this morning, represented by Canada’s Kylie Masse. The former World Record holder notched a heats swim of 27.92 to land lane 4 and will be flanked by Japan’s Miki Takahashi and the Netherlands’ Maaike de Waard.

Takahashi clocked 28.17 as the 2nd seed while de Waard was right behind in 28.25.

Italy’s top performer of the morning was Costanza Cocconcelli who notched 28.26, followed by a pair of Brits in Medi Harris and Lauren Cox.

Masse already ranks as the 3rd swiftest performer in the world this season, courtesy of the 27.38 she produced at the January Pro Swim Series. Takahashi’s effort here sits just .12 off of the 28.05 she logged at the Japan Open last December.

European Record holder Kira Toussaint of the Netherlands was indeed in the water, but the former Tennessee Vol’s time of 28.84 rendered the 29-year-old just 14th overall.

MEN’S 400 FREE – HEATS

• World Record – 3:40.07, Paul Biedermann (GER) 2009
• European Record – 3:40.07, Paul Biedermann (GER) 2099
• Sette Colli Record – 3:43.70, Gabriele Detti (ITA) 2020
• World Aquatics ‘A’ – 3:48.15

Top 10:

1. Matteo Ciampi (ITA) – 3:48.27
2. Gabriele Detti (ITA) – 3:48.64
3. Daniel Wiffen (IRL) – 3:49.27
4. Marco De Tullio (ITA) – 3:49.29
5. Matteo Lamberti (ITA) – 3:50.57
6. Max Litchfield (GBR) – 3:50.60
7. Antonio Djakovic (SUI) – 3;50.92
8. Kregor Zirk (EST) – 3:51.45
9. Luke Turley (GBR) – 3:51.91
10. Davide Marchello (ITA) – 3:52.96

The host nation of Italian claimed half of the top 10 spots in this men’s 400m free, led by 26-year-old Matteo Ciampi.

The 2019 World University Games champion in this event produced a time of 3;48.27 to hold less than half a second advantage over Sette Colli record holder Gabriele Detti.

Detti’s 3:48.64 rendered him the 2nd seed while Ireland’s on-fire freestyle ace Daniel Wiffen will very much be in the mix come tonight’s final.

Wiffen of Loughborough is the highest-ranked athlete of the pack on the season with the 3:44.35 he logged at the Swim Open Stockholm last April.

Marco De Tullio will also be in hot pursuit, fueled by his season-best 3:44.69 national title from last April which qualified him for Fukuoka.

As with Coetze, South African Matt Sates was entered in this event but the former Georgia Bulldog was a no-show.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE – FINAL

• World Record – 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (ITA) 2009
• European Record – 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (ITA) 2009
• Sette Colli Record – 1:54.55, Federica Pellegrini (ITA) 2016
• World Aquatics ‘A’ – 1:58.66

Top 10:

1. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 1:58.11
2. Valentine Dumont (BEL) – 1:58.17
3. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 1:58.33
4. Lucy Hope (GBR) – 1:58.50
5. Abbie Wood (GBR) – 1:58.97
6. Frey Colbert (GBR) – 1:59.10
7. Ajna Kesely (HUN) – 1:59.18
8. Freya Anderson (GBR) – 1:59.22
9. Anna Egorovoa (RUS) 1:59.45
10. Medi Harris (GBR) 1:59.92

Dutch speedster Marrit Steenbergen hit a super solid morning swim of 1:58.11 to claim the pole position, leading a cluster of 5 women who were all under 1:59 this morning.

23-year-old Steenbergen already ranks 8th in the world this season as a result of the 1:55.58 she scored just earlier this month as the fastest time of her career.

Belgian national record holder Valentine Dumont was less than a second off her career-quickest time of 1:57.91 from March of this year. In the heats, Dumont clocked 1:58.17 as the 2nd seed while Hong Kong Olympic silver medalist Siobhan Haughey was right behind in 1:58.33.

Great Britain put up a strong showing in the heats, securing 5 slots for tonight’s final. The top British swimmer was Lucy Hope who grabbed the 4th seed in 1:58.50 while Olympian Abbie Wood was also sub-1:59 in 1:58.97.

The reigning British national champion Freya Anderson snagged the 8th seed in 1:59.22. Her winning time of 1:55.89 from British Trials rendered her just the nation’s 3rd swimmer to ever delve under the 1:56 barrier.

Italy’s Simona Quadarella and Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk were no-shows this morning.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINAL

• World Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) 2019
• European Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) 2019
• Sette Colli Record – 58.29, Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) 2021
• World Aquatics ‘A’ – 59.75

Top 10:

1. Arno Kamminga (NED) – 58.97
2. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 59.85
3. Alessandro Pinzuti (ITA) – 1:00.20
4. Simone Cerasuolo (ITA) – 1:00.42
5. Ludovico Viberti  (ITA) – 1:00.45
6. Edoardo Giorgetti (ITA) – 1:00.85
7. James Wilby (GBR) – 1:00.86
8. Luca Moni (ITA) – 1:00.88
9. Lucas Matzerath (GER) – 1:00.94
10. Ron Polonsky (ISR) – 1:01.33

Two Olympic medalists claimed the top two seeds in this men’s 100m breaststroke.

Arno Kamminga, the silver medalist from Tokyo, notched 58.97 to land lane 4 by nearly one second. Behind him was Tokyo bronze medalist Nicolo Martinenghi who put up 59.85 as the only other sub-minute swimmer of the Italian-heavy field.

Kamminga owns a season-best of 58.90 to rank 5th in the world, so this morning’s result falls only .07 shy of that outing.

As for Martinenghi, his 59.06 from the Italian Championships marks his season-best to rank the 23-year-old 9th in the world this season.

Both men have already qualified for next month’s World Championships.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – HEATS

• World Record – 1:04.13, Lilly King (USA) 2017
• European Record – 1:04.35, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) 2013
• Sette Colli Record – 1:04.98, Yuliya Efimova (RUS) 2018
• World Aquatics ‘A’ – 1:07.35

Top 10:

1. Reona Aoki (JPN) – 1:06.20
2. Tes Schouten (NED) – 1:06.61
3. Arianna Castiglioni (ITA) – 1:07.30
4. Lisa Mamie (SUI) – 1:07.31
5. Mona McSharry (IRL) – 1:07.33
6. Anita Bottazzo (ITA) – 1:07.39
7. Kara Hanlon (GBR) – 1:07.57
8. Sophie Hansson (SWE) – 1:07.59
9. Martina Carraro (ITA) – 1:07.72
10. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 1:07.87

Japan’s Reona Aoki clocked a morning swim of 1:06.20 to take control of this women’s 100m breast but Dutch record holder Tes Schouten wasn’t far behind in 1:06.61. The pair registered the only times of the morning in the 1:06-zone.

Aoki claimed the Japanese national title with her season-best of 1:05,89 which punched her ticket to Fukuoka.

22-year-old Schouten fired off a new national record of 1:05.71 in 2023 and has been under 1:06 already 4 times this season.

Ireland’s Mona McSharry is also coming in hot after establishing a new personal best and national record of 1:06.04 in May.

Benedetta Pilato‘s morning time of 1:07.96 rendered her in 11th place and out of the A-final, pending any scratches. Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte is in a similar position, hitting 1:08.12 this morning for 13th place.

MEN’S 100 FLY – HEATS

• World Record – 49.45, Caeleb Dressel (USA) 2021
• European Record – 49.68, Kristof Milak (HUN) 2021
• Sette Colli Record – 50.98, Kristof Milak (HUN) 2021
• World Aquatics ‘A’ – 51.96

Top 10:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 51.40
2. Piero Codia (ITA) – 51.75
3. Nyls Korstanje (NED) – 52.00
4. Takeshi Kawamoto (JPN) – 52.10
5. Federico Burdisso (ITA) – 52.19
6. Naoki Mizunuma (JPN) – 52.28
7. Christian Ferraro (ITA) – 52.35
8. Tomer Frankel (ISR) – 52.50
9. Alessandro Miressi (ITA) – 52.82
10. Gal Cohen Groumi (ISR) – 52.83

The Italian men are still seeking their first World Championships qualifier in this event as no one made the grade at April’s national championships

33-year-old Piero Codia threw his hat in the ring with a 2nd-seeded swim of 51.75, already getting under the World Aquatics ‘A’ cut of 51.96. That’s already within range of the 51.87 he logged in April, although that time fell short of the Italian QT of 51.67 needed at that meet.

Leading the heats was Olympic bronze medalist Noe Ponti of Switzerland who hit 51.40 as the top swimmer. That’s only .12 outside his season-best of 51.28 from the mare Nostrum Tour.

Japan has 2 qualifiers in Takeshi Kawamoto and Naoki Mizunuma, the latter of whom owns the national record with the 50.81 put up at last year’s World Championships.

Notable men missing out on the A-final include GBR’s James Guy, Jacob Peters and Duncan Scott, as well as Italy’s Matteo Rivolta.

WOMEN’S 50 FLY – HEATS

• World Record – 24.43, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 2014
• European Record – 24.43, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 2014
• Sette Colli Record – 25.19, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 2018
• World Aquatics ‘A’ – 26.32

Top 10:

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 25.42
2. Angelina Kohler (GER) – 26.13
3. Ai Soma (JPN) – 26.22
4. Silvia Di Pietro (ITA) – 26.27
5. Michelle Coleman (SWE) – 26.36
6. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 26.38
7. Maaike de Waard (NED) – 26.41
8. Kim Busch (NED) – 26.42
9. Sara Junevik (SWE) – 26.43
10. Anna Ntountounaki (GRE) – 26.46.

As expected, World Record holder Sarah Sjostrom fired off the fastest 50m fly time of the morning, grabbing the top spot in 25.42.

Germany’s Angelina Koehler was the next-quickest in 26.13 while Japan’s Ai Soma rounded out the top 3 in 26.22.

29-year-old Sjostrom ripped a ferocious time of 24.89 in this event while competing in the knockout rounds at the Monaco stop of the Mare Nostrum Tour.

Sjostrom has held the 50m fly World Record since clocking a time of 24.43 in 2014. She remains the only woman in history to have ever dipped under the 25-second barrier in this event and has recorded the top 25 times in history.

Sjostrom’s last 24-point 50m fly came at the 2022 World Championships where she put up 24.95 to claim gold in Budapest. Remarkably, her season-best time of 24.89 beat out that gold medal-worthy effort and ranks as the 7th swiftest performance in history.

MEN’S 50 FREE – HEATS

• World Record – 20.91, Cesar Cielo (BRA) 2009
• European Record – 20.94, Fred Bousquet (FRA) 2009
• Sette Colli Record – 21.16, Ben Proud (GBR) 2018
• World Aquatics ‘A’ – 22.12

Top 10:

1. Ben Proud (GBR) – 21.92
2. Lorenzo Zazzeri (ITA) – 22.02
3. Andrii Govorov (UKR) – 22.10
4. Alessandro Miressi (ITA) – 22.12
5. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) – 22.14
6. Meiron Cheruti (ISR) – 22.46 *tie
7. Thom de Boer (NED) – 22.46 *tie
8. Matt Richards (GBR) – 22.46 *tie
9. Lewis Burras (GBR) – 22.48
10. Victor Alcara (BRA) – 22.49

Great Britain’s world champion Ben Proud got it done for the top seed, registering the only sub-22 second result of the field.

Proud touched in 21.92 to hold a .10 advantage over Italy’s Lorenzo Zazzeri who checked in at 22.02. Ukrainian 50m fly World Record holder Andrii Govorov was also speedy in 22.10.

The men’s 50m free is shaping up to be one of the most competitive of next month’s World Championships. Already more than 25 swimmers worldwide have been in the 21-second zone, led by Australia’s Cameron McEvoy’s huge personal best of 21.71 from last week’s national championships.

Proud is currently ranked 3rd in the world with the 21.71 he snagged for the national title at the British Championships. He’ll be joined in the final by teammates Matt Richards and Lewis Burras.

Richards was part of a 3-way tie, hitting the same mark of 22.46 as Dutch Olympic finalist Thom de Boere and Israeli national record holder Meiron Cheruti.