Simona Quadarella is an Italian swimmer who has had success in the distance events. She won her first major medal at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in the 800 free.
2017 World Championships
Quadarella swam to a bronze medal finishing behind American, Katie Ledecky, and Spain’s Mireia Belmonte. While Ledecky swam away from the rest of the competition, the next 5 swimmers were within two seconds of each other through the 800M mark. By 12oo Meters, Quadarella and Belmonte were neck and neck, but Belmonte pulled away in the last 300 Meters to finish with a time of 15:50.89 to Quadarella’s 15:53.86. Her split at the 800M mark, 8:29.32, was faster than her previously listed best time 8:29.79.
2018 European Championships
In Glasgow, Simona won a trio of gold medals, sweeping the distance events from 400-1500. She won the 400 free by a narrow margin of .22 (4:03.35) but won both the 800 and 1500 by a wide margin, the 800 by over 5.5 seconds (8:16.45) and the 1500 by over 6 seconds (15:51.61).
2018 Short Course World Championships
Quadarella capped another successful year with one more international medal, beating out American Leah Smith in a wire-to-wire battle for silver in the 800 free in Hangzhou, only losing to home town hero Wang Jianjiahe.
2019 World Championships
Quadarella won her first world title in Gwangju, taking gold in the 1,500 with a massive personal best in 15:40.89. Quadarella was back in the 800, going stroke for stroke with Katie Ledecky and leading for a good portion of the race. However, Ledecky found another gear on the last 50, and Quadarella touched for 2nd for her 2nd medal of the championships in a time of 8:14.99.
2020 Olympic Games
After missing the podium in the 1500, Quadarella finished her meet on a strong note, swimming a very good race in the 800 final to touch for 3rd in 8:18.35, earning her first Olympic medal.
2022 World Championships
Although Quadarella was unable to medal in the 1500 (16:03.84 for 5th) early in the meet, she did bounce back in the 800. In the final, Quadarella clocked 8:19.00 to finish 3rd, earning a bronze medal.
2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)
Quadarella was solid in the 1500 prelims with a 15:55.05, just off her season best of 15:53.29. In the finals, she sat 3rd through the 250 but a series of 31-mid 50s she held from the 150 to the 900 saw her take a dominant 2nd behind Ledecky. She fell off her early pace a little over the next 550 but never dipped into 32s on her 50 splits. Quadarella closed the race in 30.59 to claim silver in a 15:43.31, 17.04 seconds back from Ledecky.
