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
The first session of finals at this week’s Italian Championships saw one new name breakthrough for an Olympic berth. Meanwhile, Margherita Panziera clocked a new Italian record and became the #6 performer ever in the 200 back, which you can read about here.
22-year-old Sara Franceschi had the swim of her life in the 400 IM final, trailing Ilaria Cusinato after the fly leg but out-splitting her down the rest of the way. Franceschi won the title in Riccione at 4:37.06, which blows away her old best of 4:40.03.
Cusinato wound up second in 4:40.58, a few seconds away from the Olympic cut.
For Franceschi, that is her first lifetime best in almost five years in this event, her 4:40.03 coming from this meet in 2016. She was a bit faster in fly than in 2016, roughly even in back and free, but her real push came in breaststroke, where she was over two seconds faster than her split in 2016.
SPLIT COMPARISON
| 2021 | 2016 | |
| Fly | 29.99 | 30.48 |
| 34.27 | 34.73 | |
| Back | 35.84 | 35.40 |
| 34.85 | 34.44 | |
| Breast | 38.85 | 40.23 |
| 39.21 | 40.34 | |
| Free | 32.75 | 32.67 |
| 31.30 | 31.74 | |
| 4:37.06 | 4:40.03 |
Franceschi moves to #5 in the world rankings this season.
2020-2021 LCM Women 400 IM
Ohashi
4:32.08
| 2 | Kaylee McKeown | AUS | 4:32.73 | 12/13 |
| 3 | Emma Weyant | USA | 4:32.76 | 07/24 |
| 4 | Hali Flickinger | USA | 4:33.96 | 06/13 |
| 5 | Melanie Margalis | USA | 4:34.08 | 06/13 |
ITALIAN OLYMPIC ROSTER (SO FAR)
- Gregorio Paltrinieri
- Simona Quadarella
- Nicolo Martinenghi
- Margherita Panziera
- Martina Caramignoli
- Gabriele Detti
- Federica Pellegrini
- Marco De Tullio
- Federico Burdisso
- Benedetta Pilato
- Thomas Ceccon
- Sara Franceschi *NEW*