2021 Italian Olympic Trials: A Synopsis

ITALIAN OLYMPIC TRIALS

• 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

With several important Olympic Trials meets taking place concurrently over the next few weeks, it’s easy to miss key storylines that emerge from these high-intensity affairs. To help you take away the important points from each meet, we’ll be publishing our summary reviews to highlight all the Tokyo-impacting details as we move along through these jam-packed weeks.

Next up is Italy, which had its Olympic selection meet a few weeks back, with another opportunity for Olympic selection at the European Championships:

National Records

• Nicolo Martinenghi, 50 breast: 26.39
• Nicolo Martinenghi, 100 breast: 58.37
• Margherita Panziera, 200 back: 2:05.56
• Martina Carraro, 100 breast: 1:05.86
• Alberto Razzetti, 200 IM: 1:57.13

The breaststrokers were the stars, with Martinenghi breaking two men’s national records and Carraro one women’s record. Martinenghi’s 100 breast continues to rank #1 in the world for the season (ahead of world-record-holder Adam Peaty) and Carraro sits #3 worldwide.

Expected Olympic Qualifiers

Italy’s Olympic roster is mostly set – but events with an open spot can still add qualifiers via the European Championships and the Sette Colli Trophy meet. Here’s the current list of qualifiers:

1. Gregorio Paltrinieri
2. Simona Quadarella
3. Nicolo Martinenghi
4. Margherita Panziera
5. Martina Rita Caramignoli ,
6. Gabriele Detti ,
7. Federica Pellegrini ,
8. Marco De Tullio
9. Federico Burdisso 
10. Benedetta Pilato
11. Thomas Ceccon
12. Sara Franceschi
13. Alessandro Miressi(relay 4 × 100)
14. Martina Carraro
15. Stefano Ballo (relay 4 × 200)
16. Elena Di Liddo  (relay)
17. Alberto Razzetti

Expected European Championships Qualifiers

1. Lorenzo Zazzeri
2. Martina Rita Caramignoli
3. Costanza Cocconcelli
4. Chiara Tarantino
5. Silvia Di Pietro
6. Pier Andrea Matteazzi
7. Sara Franceschi
8. Edoardo Giorgetti
9. Margherita Panziera
10. Gabriele Detti
11. Marco De Tullio
12. Simona Quadarella
13. Federica Pellegrini
14. Lorenzo Mora
15. Alessandro Miressi
16. Manuel Frigo
17. Gregorio Paltrinieri
18. Francesca Fangio
19. Lisa Angiolini
20. Federico Burdisso
21. Nicolo Martinenghi
22. Thomas Ceccon
23. Alberto Razzetti
24. Alessandro Pinzuti
25. Martina Carraro
26. Arianna Castiglioni
27. Benedetta Pilato
28. Stefania Pirozzi
29. Sara Gailli
30. Piero Codia
31. Stefano Ballo
32. Stefano Di Cola
33. Filippo Megli
34. Matteo Ciampi
35. Elena Di Liddo
36. Silvia Scalia
37. Simone Sabbioni
38. Ilaria Cusinato  

Other Notable Swims

• Distance stars Gregorio Paltrinieri and Gabriele Detti were predictably great. Paltrinieri won the 800 free in a world-leading 7:41.96 and Detti the 400 free in 3:44.65.
• On the women’s side, 2019 world champ Simona Quadarella locked in her Olympic berth, going 8:23.77 to win the 800 free.
• 19-year-old Federico Burdisso was very strong in the 200 fly, going 1:54.41 to make the Olympics and finish just .02 off his own national record.
• Another young fast riser is 20-year-old Thomas Ceccon, who went 48.50 for a 100 free best time.
• Benedetta Pilato continued to star in the women’s breaststrokes. Though Carraro broke her national record, Pilato dropped time as well, going 1:06.00 in the 100 breast. The duo ranks #3 and #4 in the world this season.
• It’s been 13 years since Federica Pellegrini last won Olympic gold in the 200 free, but she continues to remain a remarkable world threat in the event, even at the age of 32. She won the 200 free in 1:56.69 and will make yet another Olympic team.