Margherita Panziera and Gregorio Paltrinieri Qualify for Tokyo Olympic Games

2019 ITALIAN WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Dec. 12-14, 2019
• Riccione (Italy) – Stadio del Nuoto
• LCM (50m course)
• Entry Lists
• Live Stream
• Results

Two more swimmers joined the tally of early Olympic qualifiers for Italy on Saturday to close out their winter National Championship meet, bringing the total pre-qualified to Tokyo to 4.

After a first place finish in the 100 backstroke yesterday, Margherita Panziera took home another gold tonight at the 2019 Italian Winter Championships in the 200 backstroke. Panziera won by over six seconds, touching the wall in a 2:06.59, ahead of Erika Francesca Gaetani for second (2:12.83) and Giulia Ramatelli for third (2:13.30).

That time for Panziera dips her under the 2:07.50 required to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and makes her the 3rd swimmer this week in Riccione to book their ticket to the Olympics. The other 2 are Simona Quadarella, who swam a 15:57.18 to clear the selection standard of 16:00.00; and Nicolo Martinenghi, who qualified via an Italian Record in the 100 breaststroke in 58.75, clearing the standard of 59.00.

A 4th swimmer joined the pool for Tokyo when reigning Olympic Champion Gregorio Paltinieri blew away the field in the 1500, clocking a 14:42.66 to swim under the standard of 14:45.00. Coming in second was Alessio Occhipinti with a 15:11.65 and third was Matteo Lamberti with a 15:13.40. Paltinieri currently holds the world record in the short course 1500 free, as well as both the long course and short course Italian records in the 800 and 1500.

Italian swimming veteran Federica Pellegrini finished the meet off with a gold in the 200 freestyle, getting her hand on the wall in 1:56.36, ahead of Paola Biagioli’s 1:59.93 and Sara Gailli’s 2:00.55 for silver and bronze. Pellegrini almost completed a perfect sweep of the sprint freestyles after a second place finish in the 50 and first place finish in the 100.

2018 Youth Olympic Games Champion, Thomas Ceccon took gold in the 50 butterfly, swimming a 23.63, just 0.09 seconds ahead of the morning’s top seed, Piero Codia. Ceccon and Codia are the respective holders of the 50 fly junior (23.37) and senior (23.21) national records but neither were fast enough tonight to crack either mark. Matteo Rivolta rounded out the podium with a 23.78.

Other Day 3 Results:

• Matteo Restivo nearly beat his own 1:56.29 NR, taking gold in the 200 back with a 1:56.47
• Stefania Pirozzi won the 200 fly in a 2:09.76
• Stefano Ballo (1:47.22) out-touched Italian record holder, Filippo Megli (1:47.54) in the 200 free. Mattia Zuin finished in third with a 1:47.65.
• Alberto Razzetti topped the podium in the men’s 200 IM with a 2:00.09, followed by Lorenzo Glessi’s 2:01.19 and Noè Ponti, of Switzerland