Martinenghi Challenges 59-Second Barrier, Miressi Posts 48.5 in Riccione

ITALIAN SPRING 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 Results

Prelims for the second day of the Italian Spring Championships wrapped this morning in Riccione, with swimmers eyeing Olympic, European Champs, World Juniors and Euro Juniors qualification tonight.

Nicolo Martinenghi dropped a strong 59.01 to clear prelims this morning in the men’s 100 breast, a season-best and just .26 off of his lifetime best and Italian record of 58.75. Alessandro Pinzuti nearly broke a minute for second, going 1:00.10.

Martinenghi’s time today pulls him a bit closer to Anton Chupkov‘s #4 time this season.

Alessandro Miressi staked his claim in the 100 free, swimming a time of 48.58 to lead the way this morning. He’ll face a challenge from Thomas Ceccon, who was second in prelims at 48.99. 50 free champion Lorenzo Zazzeri (49.04) and Santo Condorelli (49.07) were nearly under 49 themselves.

Veterans Marco Orsi (49.59), Filippo Magnini (49.84) and Luca Dotto (49.91) all missed the final.

As expected, national record-holder Federico Burdisso dominated the 200 fly prelims. Burdisso posted the fastest time by over two seconds, hitting a 1:55.77 to move to the #7 spot in the world. He didn’t swim this event at the Italian Open Championships in December, but he’s now heavily favored to take the win tonight and potentially challenge his own record of 1:54.39 from 2019 Worlds.

Federica Pellegrini was a cut above the rest in the 100 free, swimming the fastest morning time at 54.40 ahead of Silvia Di Pietro (55.12). Teenagers Chiara Tarantino (55.46) and Costanza Cocconcelli (55.51) followed closely behind Di Pietro.

After her big 200 back Italian record last night, Margherita Panziera swam a conservative 100 back this morning, hitting the wall at 1:00.19. She was out in 29.00 but backed off on the second 50 (31.19); in the 200 last night, she held 31-highs for the last three 50s.

OTHER NOTABLE FINISHES

• Born in 2006, Lorenzo Galossi clocked a massive 8:03.19 in the 800 free slower heats. He smashes a 14-15 age group record that had lasted since 1986 — Stefano Battistelli went 8:06.12 more than three decades ago, and he’d go on to become the first Italian man to medal at the Olympics.
• Alessandro Baffi topped the men’s 200 back field, going 1:59.53. The field will need to come down a couple seconds here, though, to reach the Euros (1:57.59) or Olympics (1:56.49) standards. Baffi also trains with Panziera under coach Gianluca Belfiore.
• 2003-born Antonella Crispino clocked a 2:11.34 to lead the women’s 200 fly, just a few hundredths off of her best.
• In an event where Arianna Castiglioni and Benedetta Pilato were seeded to swim, both scratched the 200 breast. Both women are better in the sprint breaststroke events. Francesca Fangio went 2:27.69 for the quickest time in the heats.