Swimming World Championships, Quadarella in the final

Frog Monday at the Doha World Championships. Waiting for Nicolò Martinenghi’s final (from 5pm on Rai 2), in the women’s 100 breaststroke, Benedetta Pilato and Arianna Castiglioni reach the semi-finals while learning of the sensational elimination of the outgoing Olympian and world champion, the Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte, seventeenth and first of the excluded in 1 ’07″79. An incomprehensible end to the match for the expert Ruta, who will therefore leave the scepter. The nineteen-year-old from Taranto and European champion, a policewoman from Aniene, who is now training in Turin with Antonio Satta and won the world gold in Budapest 2022 and did not swim this race in Fukuoka (only bronze in the 50). Benny is tenth in 1’07″24 swimming in progression; Thirteenth is the twenty-seven year old Italian record holder from Varese (now based in Imola with Cesare Casella) who clocks in 1’07″48. The best is the Chinese Tang Qianting in 1’06″16. Benny’s words: “I didn’t feel terrible in the water, the sensations are all different. The race takes place this afternoon but I expected a start without so much effort. The first time isn’t slow, the Chinese Tang swam in 1′ 06″16, I don’t think we can win the world championship with this time. However, I have to go back to swimming my time. Let’s see.” Castiglioni adds: “It went well and let’s also say that I was lucky, because the level of these batteries was absolutely not high. We entered the semi-final with 1’07″7 and when I saw my time I said to myself I’m out, but Ruta Meilutyte was excluded and this is a positive point. Today I tried to make a slight transition ‘ more aggressive than my standard and evidently at the moment I don’t have such a fast passage that I can handle. This afternoon I will try to have a slightly more balanced race; rather than the passage, swimming a little easier in my comfort zone The goal is the Olympic qualifying time and reaching the final.”