Christian Minotti, coach of the three-time European Champion Simona Quadarella, has won the Italian Award “Coach of the year.”
The announcement today during the final day of work of the National Conference of the coaches, which took place in Fiuggi.
Minotti is a former Italian swimmer who swam at both the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Among the titles won in his career as an athlete are:
- Bronze in the 1500m free at the 2002 World Short Course Championships
- Silver in 1500 at 2002 World Championships in Berlin;
- Bronze in the 1500 free at 2003 World Short Course Championships in Riesa
- 8 gold medals at National Championships
- 2 first places, 1 second place and 2 third place finishes at FINA World Cup Series meets
Since 2007 he has coached the youth team of the Aniene Rowing Club where the talent of Simona Quadarella emerged.
Minotti guided her to the finals of the 800 and 1500 free at 2016 European Championships in London. At the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Quadarella won her first international medal, bronze in the 800 free. At the 2018 European Championship, Quadarella won titles in the 400, 800, and 1500 meters freestyle.
The conference was opened with remarks by the President of LEN and Italian Swimming Federation, Paolo Barelli .
Barelli, expressing full satisfaction with the results of the last European Championships, hailed “the ability to work as a team between the federation, regional committees, and teams” and hailed the abilities and professionalism of Italian coaches in helping guide the country to a history-making year in swimming.