2024 Italian Olympic Trials: Day 3 Prelims Recap, Featuring Deplano’s 48.09 100 Free

2024 ITALIAN OLYMPIC TRIALS

This morning we entered day three of the 2024 Italian Olympic Trials and spectators are hoping it’s a turnaround from yesterday where no new names were added to the Paris 2024 Olympic roster.

As a reminder, our SwimSwam Preview above lists the swimmers already having secured their Olympic berths, courtesy of swims performed either at November’s Italian Championships or the World Championships last month in Doha. Additionally, any remaining slots after this competition may be filled at the Sette Colli Trophy coming up in June.

Thus far here in Riccione, only Lisa Angiolini and Leonardo Deplano have scored Games-worthy performances, with the former adding her name to the roster in the women’s 100m breast while the latter got it done in the men’s 50m free.

Putting her hat in the ring for the women’s 200m IM this morning was Francesca Fresia who earned the top seed in a time of 2:15.40. That’s well off the Italian Federation-mandated qualification time of 2:10.99 so she’ll have her work cut out for her in tonight’s final.

In fact, Fresia’s personal best checks in at 2:14.99 from last November’s Italian Championships so the 400m IM silver medalist here needs to have the race of her life to make it happen for Paris.

Also in the mix is Francesca Fangio, last night’s 200m breaststroke gold medalist. Fangio sneaked into the final with a time of 2:18.02 to make it about a two-and-a-half spread among the finalists.

WOMEN’S 200m IM TOP 8

  1. Francesca Fresia 2:15.40
  2. Claudia Di Passio 2:15.70 0.30
  3. Anna Pirovano 2:16.32
  4. Sara Franceschi 2:16.43
  5. Chiara Della Corte 2:16.93
  6. Giada Alzetta 2:17.26
  7. Anita Gastaldi 2:17.40
  8. Francesca Fangio  2:18.02

National record holder and 2024 World Championships bronze medalist Alberto Razzetti has already nabbed the first roster spot in the men’s 200m IM so just one remains as the top prize for tonight’s final.

Chasing the Olympic QT of 1:57.69 will be Massimiliano Matteazzi who earned the pole position in a morning swim of 2:01.83.

He’ll be flanked by Alessandro Tredici (2:02.56) and Christian Mantegazza (2:02.93).

Of note, 100m backstroke world record holder Thomas Ceccon was entered in this event but dropped it in favor of the 100m free later in this morning’s session.

MEN’s 200m IM TOP  8

  1. Massimiliano Matteazzi   2:01.83
  2. Alessandro Tredici 2:02.56
  3. Christian Mantegazza 2’02.93
  4. Lorenzo Altini 2:02.95
  5. Pier Andrea Matteazzi 2:03.27
  6. Lorenzo Glessi 2:03.34
  7. Samuele Martelli 2:03.47
  8. Pietro Paolo Sarpe  2:03.52

22-year-old Costanza Cocconcelli already made her presence known at these Trials, producing a mild upset victory last night in the 100m fly. She posted a gold medal-worthy result of 57.77, a huge lifetime best,  to come within a half second of the Olympic QT.

She’ll attempt to make it happen tonight in the 100m free, snagging the 7th seed in a time of 55.76.

Ahead of her, however, is 20-year-old Chiara Tarantino who nabbed the sole outing of the heats under 55 seconds. Her time of 54.98 set her apart from 2nd-seeded Federica Toma (55.41) and Sofia Morini (55.59).

WOMEN’S 100m FREE TOP 8

  1. Chiara Tarantino 54.98
  2. Federica Toma  55.41
  3. Sofia Morini  55.59
  4. Sara Curtis  55.61
  5. Emma Virginia Menicucci  55.68
  6. Paola Biagioli  55.74
  7. Costanza Cocconcelli 55.76
  8. Cristiana Stevanato  55.86

Deplano made some noise in the heats of the men’s 100m free, firing off a time of 48.09. That not only scored a huge lifetime best but it also dipped under the Olympic QT of 48.29.

Deplano opened in 22.58 and closed in 25.51 to rip his previous career-quickest time of 48.61 to shreds en route to capturing the top seed. With Alessandro Miressi already having qualified for the 100m free, Deplano is currently the next in line depending on what transpires in tonight’s final.

Ceccon eked out the final slot for the main event, registering a result of 49.36.

MEN’S 100m FREE TOP 8

  1. Leonardo Deplano 48.09 (Olympic QT)
  2. Paolo Conte Bonin 48.41
  3. Lorenzo Zazzeri  48.66
  4. Alessandro Miressi 48.93
  5. Filippo Megli 49.18
  6. Stefano Di Cola 49.28
  7. Manuel Frigo 49.28
  8. Thomas Ceccon 49.36

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DK99
7 months ago

Ceccon 49.36? Phoning it in waiting for Sette Colli or more sinister?

Davide
Reply to  DK99
7 months ago

He’s coming back from an injury, so he’s definitely not at his best, but it’s also true he often sleepwalks through the heats

Andre97
Reply to  DK99
7 months ago

He broke a finger shortly after short course euros and had to stop for a while, that’s also why he wasn’t in Doha

HeGetsItDoneAgain
Reply to  DK99
7 months ago

Ceccon isn’t gonna be a factor this cycle. Injuries have hampered his preparation

gitech
7 months ago

Whoever wins the men’s 100 freestyle today will get the individual place and will join Miressi, right?

Andre97
Reply to  gitech
7 months ago

Only if they go faster than Deplano’s 48.09 from this morning. If anybody else wins but with a slower time, Leonardo Deplano will get the individual spot

gitech
Reply to  Andre97
7 months ago

And if in Setecolli they make less of a mark than whoever wins here today or 48.09 deplano, who gets the place?

Last edited 7 months ago by gitech
nuotofan
Reply to  gitech
7 months ago

Reading the regulation, only free Olympic slots may be filled at Settecolli due to discretionary choices of Technical Office.
At the moment Miressi and Deplano are qualified in the 100 free for Olympics and Miressi is sure to swim the 100 free at Paris. We’ll see in today final if someone will swim faster than Deplano’s 48.09, otherwise Deplano is qualified also in the 100 beyond 50 free.

gitech
Reply to  nuotofan
7 months ago

It just makes me think, ceccon with a pb of 47.7, if he manages to endorse it, which is very possible throughout the season, if he would get the place

Idrive
Reply to  gitech
7 months ago

No. Whoever goes under 48.09, otherwise Deplano will join Miressi. Of course, only the best if more than one

Last edited 7 months ago by Idrive
John26
Reply to  gitech
7 months ago

Given how competitive it is for the second spot, you’d think the rest of this 100free field would have fully tapered for this

Last edited 7 months ago by John26

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