Alessandro Miressi Re-Lowers Italian Record To Win 100 Free World Title

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After setting a new national record in the semis, Alessandro Miressi went one better (literally) in the final of the men’s 100 freestyle, re-breaking his Italian Record to win his first individual World Championship title.

Miressi, who clocked 45.58 in the semi-finals to lower his month-old Italian Record of 45.84, closed like a rocket over the final 25 meters to run down early leader Ryan Held and win gold in 45.57, .01 under his previous mark.

Split Comparison

Though he trailed Held and Canada’s Joshua Liendo at the 50, Miressi’s opening speed was the difference in setting the record compared to his swim from Monday night.

Held blasted out in a time of 21.36 at the opening 50, while Liendo sat second in 21.65, with Miressi sitting third.

The Italian then charged home, gaining more than six-tenths on Held and half a second on Liendo on the second 50 to book the win.

Miressi’s victory marked his first individual world title, with his only other major international individual gold medal coming in the men’s 100 freestyle at the 2018 LC European Championships.

It was also the 23-year-old’s third medal here in Abu Dhabi, having also won gold on the men’s 4×50 freestyle relay and silver on the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay. He’ll have an opportunity to add to that at the end of the session in the men’s 4×100 medley relay.

At the European SC Championships last month, Miressi was the silver medalist in the event, clocking 45.84 behind Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov (45.58), who scratched out of the event here at Worlds after the preliminaries.

Also a two-time Olympic medalist, Miressi maintains his place as the 12th-fastest swimmer of all-time and sixth-best among Europeans.