2021 Italian Absolute Championships: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

ABSOLUTE ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (ITA)

• March 31 – April 3, 2021
• Prelims at 9am local/Finals at 4:30pm local
• Riccione – Swimming Stadium
• Long course meters (LCM)
• Qualification Standards
• Meet Site
• Start Lists
• Live Stream
• Live Results

This week in Riccione, swimmers are looking to secure roster spots at a host of big summer meets, chief among them the Olympic Games. The first session of finals begins soon, with the 400 free, 400 IM and 50 free finals for men and women, the men’s 200 breast and the women’s 200 back.

The big swim this morning came from sprinter Lorenzo Zazzeri, who swam under the qualifying standard for the European Championships with his first 21 in the 50 free at 21.94. He is just .15 off of the Olympic standard of 21.79, so he’ll be gunning for that in the final this afternoon.

Junior swimmers will also be looking at qualification for European Juniors and World Juniors this week.

MEN’S 50 FREE – FINALS

• Euros cut – 22.09
• Olympics cut – 21.79

Top 3

1. Lorenzo Zazzeri – 21.89
2. Leonardo Deplano – 22.11
3. Alessandro Bori – 22.15

After going under 22 for the first time this morning with a 21.94, Lorenzo Zazzeri knocked another five hundredths off of his best, posting a winning time of 21.89. He’s just a tenth short of the Olympic qualifying standard for Italy, but he secures his spot on their European Championships roster here.

Leonardo Deplano and Alessandro Bori were both ahead of their morning swims, going 22.11 and 22.15, respectively, but neither hit a best.

Zazzeri jumps to #6 in the world this year with his new lifetime best.

WOMEN’S 50 FREE – FINALS

• Euros cut – 25.09
• Olympics cut – 24.69

Top 3

1. Costanza Cocconcelli – 25.04
2. Federica Pellegrini – 25.07
3. Silvia Di Pietro/Chiara Tarantino – 25.19

19-year-old Costanza Cocconcelli again handed a defeat to veterans Federica Pellegrini and Silvia Di Pietro after topping the prelims this morning.

Cocconcelli, who entered the meet with a lifetime best of 25.23, dropped to 25.15 in prelims before hitting her new best now. On the cusp of going 24 seconds, she qualifies for Euros with this swim. Pellegrini, meanwhile, was just .15 off of her lifetime best.

Italian record-holder Di Pietro tied for third with Chiara Tarantino, the 17-year-old. That’s a new best for Tarantino by a couple of tenths.

MEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

• Euros cut – 4:15.09
• Olympics cut – 4:13.09

Top 3

1. Pier Andrea Matteazzi – 4:15.80
2. Pietro Sarpe – 4:19.42
3. Federico Turrini – 4:21.06

Pier Andrea Matteazzi neared a best in the 400 IM final, ultimately falling just under a second off with a 4:15.80. That’s a season-best for Matteazzi, but it’s not quite enough to get under the cut for Euros.

Pietro Sarpe, after leading prelims, broke 4:20 for the first time to snag second in 4:19.42, while veteran Federico Turrini was third in 4:21.06.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

• Euros cut – 4:39.09
• Olympics cut – 4:37.09

Top 3

1. Sara Franceschi – 4:37.06
2. Ilaria Cusinato – 4:40.58
3. Carlotta Toni – 4:44.04

We have our first Olympic ticket punched of the week here, as Sara Franceschi breaks through with her first-ever swim under the 4:40 barrier.

It’s a monumental swim for Franceschi, who hadn’t gone a lifetime best in this event since she went 4:40.03 back in 2016, five years ago. The 22-year-old is now the sixth Italian woman under 4:40 in history, and she’s now the fourth-fastest Italian woman ever.

Ilaria Cusinato, who slammed down a 4:34.65 at the Sette Colli Trophy in 2018, was second here in 4:40.58, not quite enough to qualify for Euros.

Franceschi moves to #5 in the world rankings this season.

MEN’S 200 BREAST – FINALS

• Euros cut – 2:10.59
• Olympics cut – 2:08.59

Top 3

1. Edoardo Giorgetti – 2:10.93
2. Andrea Castello – 2:11.16
3. Alessandro Fusco – 2:12.56

Coming just short of the Euros cut, 32-year-old Edoardo Giorgetti dropped over two seconds from prelims to win it at 2:10.93. Andrea Castello was very close behind, settling for second at 2:11.16.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK – FINALS

• Euros cut – 2:10.49
• Olympics cut – 2:08.50

Top 3

1. Margherita Panziera – 2:05.56
2. Erika Gaetani – 2:11.80
3. Martina Cenci – 2:12.20

Margherita Panziera dipped under her own Italian record with a stunning performance, clocking a 2:05.56 to shave over a tenth off of the old mark of 2:05.72.

Panziera was out in 1:01.88 and came home in a 1:03.68, going out in 30.1 and then holding 31s the rest of the way. She was 31.7/31.9/31.7 over the last three 50s, demonstrating impeccable endurance and pacing.

Panziera now ranks second in the world this year, the second woman under 2:07 and behind only Australian teenage phenom Kaylee McKeown.

Italian junior record-holder Erika Gaetani took second in 2:11.80, off of her lifetime best 2:10.28.

MEN’S 400 FREE – FINALS

• Euros cut – 3:48.89
• Olympics cut – 3:46.09

Top 3

1. Gabriele Detti – 3:44.65
2. Marco De Tullio – 3:44.74
3. Matteo Ciampi – 3:47.61

This race came down to the finish for Italian record-holder Gabriele Detti and Marco De Tullio. Both are already qualified for Tokyo, but both went over a second quicker than the Olympic cut as it was.

Both men were less than two seconds away from Detti’s Italian record of 3:43.23. For De Tullio, it’s a new best by a tenth, eclipsing his old best of 3:44.86 from the 2019 World Championships 400 free final, where his time was good for fifth overall.

They also both rank top-five in the world this year, moving up to #3 and #4, respectively.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE – FINALS

• Euros cut – 4:08.29
• Olympics cut – 4:06.29

Top 3

1. Simona Quadarella – 4:06.49
2. Martina Caramignoli – 4:08.39
3. Giulia Salin – 4:11.04

Though not able to get under the Olympic cut, the already-qualified Simona Quadarella swam to the win at 4:06.49. She was almost two seconds ahead of Martina Caramignoli‘s 4:08.39, and she, too, is already qualified for Tokyo.

Quadarella moves to #5 in the world rankings, less than two seconds back of Katie Ledecky‘s 4:04.72 and Wang Jiajiahe‘s #1 time of 4:03.02.