Swimming, Paltrinieri gold in the 1500s at the World Championships in Budapest

by our correspondent Stefano Arcobelli

June 25
– BUDAPEST (Hungary)

A man alone in command, a man of gold: Gregorio Paltrinieri makes a world masterpiece and shivers like this time, for 1475 meters, the world record of the Chinese Sun Yang stopped at 2012. Greg goes away from lane number 1, alone : his technician Fabrizio Antonelli at every step yells at him to go. At 200 Greg goes in 1’53 “71, at 400 he is under Sun Yang’s limit at 3’51” 04, at 600 he is at 27 cents, increases to 800 at 1 “26 in 7’44” 19. His step is deadly, at frequencies that are impossible for others. He increases to 100 at 1 “96 in 9’41” 14. The other opponents are confused, Wellbrock, Romanchuk (beaten here by Paltrinieri in 2017) remembers the real Greg well. The crowd ignites the Duna Arena with passion, at 1200 Greg is 2 ”69 under the old record. A ride of the walkirie, a Rossini crescendo, something wonderful, extraordinary. Only one man in command has returned Greg: at 1300 he is at -2 ”79, the others are fighting for silver and bronze, Greg now with the stopwatch. At 1400, at the sound of the bell he is 2 ”81 down. Spatial, growing: Greg effortlessly flies towards the world record, at 1450 he is 1 ”23, in the last lap the record resists dramatically but his European record of 14’32” 80 is extraordinary. Sun Yang is saved again with his 14’31 “02: 28” 69 is the last pool of the blue, who returns to the golden man of the 1500s where he had triumphed the last time in 2017 and with the record also of the championships triumphs over the American Bobby Finke from 14’36 “70 and the defending champion, the German Florian Wellbrock 14’36” 94.

sentences

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“It’s a dream – Greg told Rai Sport -. I knew I could win two golds in the pool. The 800 went like this and it bothered me so much that I thought ‘pretty dying’. My friends told me I was quoted at 26 and took it. It was nice. These are the races that I like to do. Sometimes they don’t come to me, I have a lot of meat on the fire these days: I wanted to show that I’m always here. There are people who wanted to swab me after 800, but I’m fine and that’s why I was disappointed. I gave a good demonstration. I do this because I like it and I enjoy it, because I wouldn’t change the euphoria of the races for anything in the world ”.

ceccon

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The disqualification of the American Justin Ress, who had touched first in 24 ”12, brings Thomas Ceccon to the podium, at the fourth touch in 24” 51, a time worse than the Italian record of the semifinal in 24 ”46. The gold goes to the world record holder, Hunter Armstrong, also American, second in 24 ”14, the silver goes to the Polish Ksawery Masiuk, born in 2004, author of 24” 49, two cents faster than the blue. In the game of two cents, the podium of the 50 backstrokes at the World Championships in Budapest is thus revolutionized. He says the blue: “I was not as fluid as yesterday, and something more came. I’m sorry for the boy, I don’t know what he did, maybe the arrival. A bronze is a bronze. It’s a strong time ”.

silver

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Benedetta Pilato is silver in the 50 breaststroke: 10 cents from the most surprising gold even if the Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte returned a few months ago was an Olympian in London at 15 and she is a phenomenon too. At the deadlift, Benny goes 0.69, then in the duel the rival suffers, who triumphs in 29 “70 against 29” 80. Beny is world record holder in 29 ”30. “I felt the tension much more than in the 100-you told Rai Sport-. I definitely got the wrong start, but this is a world medal and I’m happy anyway. This was the race I had bet on, the 100 was the surprise. Too bad I didn’t win it, but I’m happy all the same “.

paltrinieri

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Now in the tank there is Gregorio Paltrinieri, on the hunt for gold in the 1500sl.