Italian Olympian Matteo Rivolta set a new short course Italian national record in the 100 butterfly posting a 50.87 at the Trofeo dell’Insubria on the weekend. Rivolta broke Joseph David Natullo‘s record of 50.99, which he set in 2009 in a polyurethane suit.
Rivolta beat his previous lifetime best of 51.10 which he he posted at the World Short Course Championships in Istanbul last December. His time of 50.87 is the sixth fastest time swum in the world this year.
Earlier this summer Rivolta set a new Italian record in the long course 100 butterfly at the World Championships in Barcelona where he posted a 51.64 in the semi-final. He ultimately finished tied for seventh recording a time of 51.65 in the final.
The 21 year old has made steady improvements over the last three years dropping from a short course best of 52.54 in 2011.