Breaststroke Records Fall, No New Olympic Qualifiers on Day 2 of Italian Champs

2020 ITALIAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, December 17th – Saturday, December 19th
• Riccione
• LCM (50m)
• Olympic Qualifying Event
• Timed Finals
• Italy’s Olympic Qualifying Procedures
• SwimSwam Italia Preview
• SwimSwam Preview
• Live Results

There were no new Olympic qualifiers on day 2 of the Italian Open Championships, though Benedetta Pilato broke the Italian record in the 50 breast and Nicolo Martinenghi did the same on the men’s side, just after. Read about Pilato’s 29.61 swim here and Martinenghi’s 26.56 here.

Italian record-holder Alessandro Miressi led four men under 49 seconds in the 100 free, posting a 48.22. He was just a few-tenths off of his Italian record of 47.92, a time he hit in the summer of 2018. Following Miressi were 19-year-old Thomas Ceccon (48.65), Lorenzo Zazzeri (48.81) and Alessandro Bori (48.93). The Italian Olympic qualifying standard of 47.90, though, was out of reach.

That’s a lifetime best for Ceccon, who became the first Italian man under 53 seconds in the 100 back last night; Ceccon was 48.87 coming into this meet in the 100 free. Zazzeri was just off of his best, while Bori sliced .02 off of his.

On the women’s side, Federica Pellegrini claimed the 100 free title, break 55 seconds and posting a 54.56, just ahead of veteran sprinter Silvia Di Pietro (55.08). 17-year-old Chiara Tarantino snagged third in 55.68. At a tough 53.0, nobody came close to Italy’s Tokyo qualifying standard, although Pellegrini has been pre-approved for the Olympics in a controversial move even she spoke out against.

In the men’s 800 free, Gregorio Paltrinieri fell short of the Olympic cut, winning in a 7:46.49. He was almost ten seconds ahead of the next-best competitor, though he was off the 7:43.80 qualifying standard. His best time is the Italian record of 7:39.27 from 2019 Worlds.

Michele Lamberti, 20, broke 25 seconds in the men’s 50 back. He was 24.90, just .25 off of the Italian record, taking a ton of time off of his old best of 25.25. He’s now the #3 performer in Italian history behind Niccolo Bonacchi (24.65) and Mirco Di Tora (24.77).

OTHER WINNERS

• In the women’s 100 fly, Ilaria Bianchi posted a 58.26 to win. Elena Di Liddo also snuck under 59 seconds with a 58.60, though she was well off of her Italian record and best time of 57.04.
• Italian record-holder Federico Burdisso skipped the 200 fly (he’s been pre-approved for the Olympic roster). Alberto Razzetti won by over a second, clocking a 1:56.51. Razzetti tied his lifetime best from August.
• Silvia Scalia won the women’s 100 back in 1:00.89, taking down the Italian Championships record of 1:00.96 done by Tania Quaglieri.
• Martina Caramignoli followed up her 1500 free win last night with a victory in the 800 free tonight, going 8:27.68. She was the only finisher under 8:30.