2024 Italian Olympic Trials: Day 1 Prelims Recap

2024 ITALIAN OLYMPIC TRIALS

• Tuesday, March 5th – Saturday, March 9th
• Riccione, Italy
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The 2024 Italian Olympic Trials began this morning from Riccione with athletes vying for spots on the nation’s roster for Paris 2024.

As a refresher on the Italian selection process, qualification began last November at the nation’s Absolute Open Championships. Athletes who qualified at that competition were fused with those who reached a qualifying time at the World Championships in Doha last month.

This means these Olympic Trials represent a third opportunity for athletes to add their names to the roster, while a final chance for any remaining spots will take place at the Sette Colli Trophy in June.

Davide Marchello staked his claim on the men’s 400m free, reaping the top spot in a morning swim of 3:50.90. That put him ahead of the field by just under a second, with Marco De Tullio next in 3;51.72 while Matteo Lamberti claimed the 3rd seed in 3:51.78.

Two-time bronze medalist from the 2016 Olympic Games Gabriele Detti is in the mix, placing 5th in a time of 3:51.96.

Of note, 17-year-old European Junior Championshps gold medalist from 2022 Lorenzo Galossi put up a time of 3:55.36 to place 15th and out of this evening’s final. After a period of injuries and time out of the pool, Galossi’s effort was well off the 3:48.14 which won him gold in Otopeni, as well as his best-ever of 3:45.93 from that year’s Italian Championships.

TOP 8

1. Davide Marchello 3:50.90
2. Marco De Tullio  3:51.72
3. Matteo Lamberti 3’:51.78
4. Matteo Ciampi 3:51.95
5. Gabriele Detti 3:51.96
6. Pasquale Sanzullo 3:52.54
7. Luca De Tullio  3:52.55
8. Giovanni Caserta 3:52.60

The women’s 100m breaststroke prelims field was void of powerhouse Benedetta Pilato, despite her entry in the event. However, the 19-year-old has already qualified for Paris in this event, courtesy of the 1:05.80 produced at last November’s Italian Championships.

In her stead, it was Lisa Angiolini who landed lane 4 in a time of 1:06.89. She’ll be flanked by Arianna Castiglioni and Martina Carraro who logged respective morning swims of 1:07.34 and 1:08.10. The women will be chasing a qualification time of 1:06.3 this evening.

TOP 8

1. Lisa Angiolini 1:06.89
2. Arianna Castiglioni  1:07.34
3. Martina Carraro 1:08.10
4. Anita Bottazzo 1:08.11
5. Irene Mati 1:08.32
6. Francesca Fangio  1:08.61
7. Giulia Verona 1:08.62
8. Francesca Zucca 1:08.63

A big surprise in the men’s 200m butterfly was the fact that reigning Olympic bronze medalist Federico Burdisso wound up not swimming the event. He has yet to punch his ticket to Paris so his absence here raises some questions.

Giacomo Carini represented just one of three men to dip under the 2:00 barrier in the event this morning, capturing the top seed in 1:58.05. Claudio Antonino Faraci was the next-fastest in 1:58.85 while Matteo Christopher Palmisani rounded out the trio of top seeds in 1:59.68.

The Italian Swimming Federation set the QT at 1:54.2, a mark none of these top seeds have hit in their careers. Carini’s personal best rests at 1:55.17 while Faraci’s PB is 1:57.09 and Palmisani’s result this morning represented his first-ever effort under the 2:00 barrier.

TOP 8

1. Giacomo Carini 1:58.05
2. Claudio Antonino Faraci  1:58.85
3. Matteo Christopher Palmisani  1:59.68
4. Andrea Camozzi 2:00.06
5. Emanuele Costanza  2:00.86
6. Marco Deano  2:00.87
7. Simone Dutto 2:01.00
8. Alan Vergine 2:01.27

Reigning World Championships bronze medalist Sara Franceschi looked in control en route to claiming the top seed in the women’s 400m IM.

The 25-year-old held steady with a morning swim of 4:45.87 in her quest to take the gold at these Trials. Her bronze from Doha (4:37.86) already added her name to the Italian roster for Paris so she has nothing to lose in this evening’s final.

Interestingly, distance freestyle ace Simona Quadarella competed in these 4IM heats, registering a time of 4:51.11.

TOP 8

1. Sara Franceschi 4:45.87
2. Francesca Fresia 4:46.30
3. Claudia Di Passio  4:46.57
4. Anna Pirovano  4:48.45
5. Alessia Polieri  4:48.54
6. Ludovica Patetta  4:48.71
7. Carlotta Toni 4:49.17
8. Giada Alzetta 4:50.59

The men’s 50m freestyle heats also took place this morning, with 24-year-old Leonardo Deplano staking his claim with the sole sub-22-second result of the pack.

Deplano hit 21.96, not terribly far from the 21.81 time he put up in Doha to place 10th overall.

Lorenzo Zazzeri was next at the wall in 22.02 while the Italian national record holder in the 100m free, Alessandro Miressi, posted 22.13.

Also in the final will be 33-year-old Luca Dotto (22.33) and 100m backstroke world record holder Thomas Ceccon (22.67).

Of the finalists, only Zazzeri has already qualified for Paris, with his time of 21.80 from Doha. The remaining swimmers will be chasing a QT of 21.6 tonight. He has already dropped the final, which inserts Manuel Frigo who had been 9th in 22.68 in the prelims.

TOP 8

1. Leonardo Deplano  21.96
2. Lorenzo Zazzeri  22.02
3. Alessandro Miressi 22.13
4. Giovanni Izzo  22.25
5. Luca Dotto 22.33
6. Lorenzo Pignotti  22.46
7. Lorenzo Ballarati  22.57
8. Thomas Ceccon  22.67

Additional Top Seeds

• The non-Olympic event of the men’s 50m backstroke saw Michele Lamberti score the top time out of the heats. His mark of 24.92 represented the sole outing of the field under 25 seconds, with Matteo Brunella next in line with 25.47.