2025 Italian Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2025 ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Riccione – Swimming Stadium Pool
• April 13–17, 2025
• Prelims at 10am local (4am ET)/Senior Finals at 6pm local (12pm ET)
• World Championships Qualification
• SwimSwam Italia Event Page
• Entries
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Prelims Recap
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Live Results
• Livestream

Preview

Day 1 saw four swimmers punch their names for Singapore: Simona Quadarella (800m free), Anita Bottazzo (100m breaststroke), Lisa Angiolini (100m breaststroke) and Leonardo Deplano (50m freestyle), and there will be several swimmers aiming to join them today. We have a slate of seven individual events this evening, with the session rounded off with the men’s 4×200 freestyle relay.

• Women’s 50m backstroke
• Men’s 50m fly
• Women’s 100m fly
• Men’s 100m backstroke
• Women’s 200m breast
• Men’s 100m breaststroke
• Women’s 200m freestyle
• Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay

This five-day competition represents the primary qualification opportunity for swimmers to add their names to the Italian roster for this summer’s World Championships in Singapore, although they will also have a chance at the Sette Colli meet in June. Thomas Ceccon, the Olympic Champion in the 100m Backstroke, will not be in attendance here having been granted special dispensation to qualify instead at the Australian Open National Championships next week.

Men’s

Ceccon’s absence hangs heavy over two events where he has previously been World Champion: the 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke. It’s a tight field at the top of the former, with only three-hundredths separating Lorenzo Gargani (23.76), Gianmarco Sansone (23.77) and Federico Burdisso (23.79). They all have some way to go to make the 22.89 required for Singapore, a mark which no Italian other than Ceccon has hit.

The backstroke is a different affair entirely. Last night’s 50m backstroke winner Christian Bacico was the only man under 54 in a PB of 53.71, and holds a healthy lead of 0.79 over tonight’s second seed. Bacico took half a second off his 50m PB yesterday between heats and finals, and needs to slice another 0.42 off his 100 time tonight to make the cut for Singapore.

Behind him is Pietro Ubertalli, coming off a successful NCAA campaign that saw him match Dean Farris‘ 200 yard backstroke record and become Cornell’s first All-American in over a decade. His time of 54.50 took over half a second off his entry time and he could be in line for another drop this evening. Lorenzo Mora also lurks dangerously in lane 7 although Matteo Restivo, national record holder in the 200, missed out in 12th this morning.

Just like Japan, Italy has a habit of pumping out men’s breaststrokers and this year could see a new one rise to the international stage. Behind a top three of Nicolo Martinenghi, Federico Poggio and Simone Cerasuolo, Christian Menteguzza sliced just over a second off his personal best to take the #4 spot in 1:00.28. The Italian Federation-mandated qualifying time stands at a speedy 59.29, and with only Martinenghi sub-60 this morning anyone hoping to make the grade will need to step up tonight.

Women’s

Sara Curtis, fresh from setting a brand new personal best of 53.72 leading off the winning 4x100m freestyle relay last night, is in pole position in the women’s 50m backstroke after swimming a 28.02 in prelims. Curtiss is the world junior record holder in the short course version of this event, setting a 26.03 at the Budapest world championships back in December, and was less than a tenth off her best time in long course this morning. National record holder Silvia Scalia will be in lane 7 after swimming 28.87, nearly 1.5 seconds off her best of 27.39

The women’s 100 fly had a slightly sleepy prelims session, with only Costanza Cocconcelli under 59 seconds. She was the winner at Olympic trials last year in a 57.77 which stands as her PB, but the time she needs for Singapore stands slightly faster at 57.59. Behind her is a lot of turnover, with only half of last year’s final making the top-eight this time around.

After qualifying in the 100 breaststroke yesterday, Lisa Angiolini leads the women’s 200 out of heats as well. Her best time stands at 2:24.71 from 2024, a little off the 2:23.59 required. Francesca Fangio, Anna Pirovano and Francesca Zucca join her under 2:30 with Fangio the most likely to make a move. Her best time and Italian Record from 2021 is 2:23.06, making her the only swimmer in the field to have hit the qualifying time for Singapore before. Her season best is only 2:27.44, so she’ll need to drop big tonight.

No one was under 2:00 in the women’s 200 freestyle this morning, but all eight finalists broke 2:01 to set us up for what could be an incredible race. Only six-tenths separate the entire field for tonight, and whilst we’re unlikely to see anyone make the stiff qualifying time of 1:57.39 the battle for the podium should be a tight one.

WOMEN’S 50 BACK – FINAL

• World Record – 26.86, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) 2023
• European Record – 27.10, Kira Toussaint (NED) 2021
• ITA Record – 27.39, Silvia Scalia (2022)
• World Championships Qualifying Time – 27.79

GOLD – Sara Curtis, 27.90
SILVER – Francesca Pasquino, 28.33
BRONZE – Chiara Lamanna, 28.47

Sara Curtis backed up her top seed from this morning, clipping her previous PB of 27.94 with a gold-medal worthy time of 27.90. THat was just over a tenth faster than her time this morning.

The 18-year-old couldn’t quite hit the Singapore qualifying time of 27.79 however she was under the WA ‘A’ cut of 28.22, so there is potential for her to add this event if she qualifies elsewhere.

Behind her Francesca Pasquino held onto second, swimming two-tenths faster than this morning. Third-placed Chiara Lamanna, born in 2008, swam to a time of 28.47. That was a drop of 0.25 over the course of the day, and puts her just over half a second off Curtis’ Junior record from last year. Greta Rossi, born in 2009, was fifth in 28.54.

National Record Holder Silvia Scalia, the winner of this event last year, finished down in sixth with a 28.69.

MEN’S 50 FLY– FINAL

• World Record – 22.27, Andriy Govorov (UKR) 2018
• European Record – 22.27, Andriy Govorov (UKR) 2018
• ITA Record – 22.68, Thomas Ceccon (2023)
• World Championships Qualifying Time – 22.89

GOLD – Lorenzo Gargani, 23.32
SILVER – Federico Burdisso, 23.67
BRONZE – Simone Stefani, 23.69

Lorenzo Gargani made it 2-for-2 in top seeds taking the win, as he powered to a new best time of 23.32. Gargani was the winner of this event last year in a slightly slower time of 23.41, and despite a faster field this time around still made sure to come out on top.

Tokyo Bronze medalist in the 200 fly Federico Burdisso came in second, just off his best time of 23.52 from 2025. After adding time from prelims in the 200 yesterday where he ended up fourth, this was a nice rebound from the 23-year-old.

Simone Stefani jumped up to third out of lane 7, as seven of the eight swimmers broke 24 seconds. only 0.11 separated 2nd through 6th, as there was a real dogfight for the podium behind leader Gargani. Second seed Gianmarco Sansone added one-hundredth to this time from prelims, but fell all the way down to sixth.

The Singapore qualification time of 22.89 was a little too far away from the swimmers here, but Gargani did creep under the WA ‘A’ cut of 23.36. National record holder Thomas Ceccon will be competing at the Australian National Open Championships next week, so there may still be Italian representation in this event come July.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY– FINAL

• World Record – 55.18, Gretchen Walsh (USA) 2024
• European Record – 55.48, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 2016
• ITA Record – 57.09, Elena Di Liddo (2019)
• World Championships Qualifying Time – 57.59

GOLD – Costanza Cocconcelli, 58.06
SILVER – Anita Gastaldi, 58.40
BRONZE – Giulia Caprai, 58.85

Costanza Cocconcelli was out in a sizzling 26.78, as she took a three-quarter of a second lead into the second 50. The field came back to her slightly on the second half, but her advantage was too much to overcome as she held on for first in a near-PB of 58.06, less than three-tenths off here time from these championships last year.

Anita Gastaldi had the fastest second half in the field as she stormed back to take silver, coming home in 30.69 to rally from fifth at halfway. Fourth-placed Caterina Santambrogio was also under 31 seconds on the second 50 as she broke 59 seconds for the first time with a 58.89, less than a quarter of a second away from the Italian age group record of 58.66. Both of those two beat their best times coming into today by nearly a second.

All eight finalists were under 60 seconds, but once again we had no swimmers under the Italian-Federation-mandated time of 57.59. Cocconcelli clipped the WA ‘A’ cut of 58.33, and will likely be taken as part of the medley relay.

MEN’S 100 BACK – FINAL

• World Record – 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (2022)
• European Record – 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (2022)
• ITA Record – 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (2022)
• World Championships Qualifying Time – 53.29

GOLD – Christan Bacico, 53.61
SILVER – Pietro Ubertalli, 54.12
BRONZE – Daniele Della Signore, 54.80

Yet again, the top seed from prelims took home the gold, as Christian Bacico backed up his 50m backstroke win from last night with a victory here. Out in a 25.88, half a second clear of Pietro Ubertalli and a second ahead of the rest of the field, Bacico also came home fastest to secure a dominant victory. That clips his PB from this morning, and he’s now taken 0.29 off over the course of the day.

Ubertalli meanwhile has taken a second off his best time today, swimming down to a 54.12 here after coming in with a 55.10. He was out in 26.33, poised between Bacico and the next six swimmers, and nearly matched the champion’s split coming back with a 27.79. With the 200 being possibly his stronger distance, he could give Bacico and national record holder Matteo Restivo a run for their money later on in the week.

Della Signore made it back-to-back podiums, holding onto third here after wining silver in the 50 yesterday. Jacopo Nuca couldn’t quite match his prelims time of 54.90 as he slipped to fifth, with only three men breaking 55 seconds tonight.

For the fourth event in a row, the winner was under the WA ‘A’ cut but above the Federation-mandated time. Thomas Ceccon will likely make the team in this event, but there is potential for Bacico to do so as well.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST – FINAL

• World Record – 2:17.55, Evgenia Chikunova (RUS) 2023
• European Record – 2:17.55, Evgenia Chikunova (RUS) 2023
• ITA Record – 2:23.06, Francesca Fangio (2021)
• World Championships Qualifying Time – 2:23.59

GOLD – Francesca Fangio, 2:23.67
SILVER – Lisa Angiolini, 2:24.90
BRONZE – Anna Pirovano, 2:27.33

Heartbreak for Francesca Fangio, as the 2024 Olympian’s winning time here was just eight-hundredths away from booking a ticket to Singapore. She swam an incredibly consistent race, out in a 32.87 before going 36.67-36.99-37.14. This was her best time since 2022, and is over two seconds under the WA ‘A’ cut of 2:25.91. She now ranks fourth in the world so far this season.

Lisa Angiolini was out with Fangio at halfway, but feel away slightly on the second 100. She nearly matched her best time of 2:24.71, in what was another good swim after making the World Championships team in the 100 yesterday. being a second under the ‘A’ cut, she may get the opportunity to swim this event as well in Singapore.

Third placed Anna Pirovano followed up her 400IM win yesterday with a another big swim today. The 24-year-old was only half a second off here best time of 2:26.81 from the 2019 version of these championships.

Six women were under 2:30 in the ‘A’ final and another in the ‘B’ final, nearly doubling the number that were under the barrier this morning.

MEN’S 100 BREAST– FINAL

• World Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) 2019
• European Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) 2019
• ITA Record – 58.26, Nicolo Martinenghi (2022)
• World Championships Qualifying Time – 59.29

GOLD – Nicolo Martinenghi, 59.16
SILVER – Simone Cerasuolo, 59.63
BRONZE –Alessandro Pinzuti, 59.78

Martinenghi clipped the time required to book his spot in Singapore, as the Olympic Champ proved his credentials once again. He was out in 27.59, before pulling away from the field down the stretch.

Simone Cerasuolo was only a tenth off his PB to take second, after rocketing out on the first 50 to lead at halfway. Martinenghi reeled him in over the final 50, outsplitting Cerasuolo 31.57 to 32.16.

Alessandro Pinzuti moved up from fifth to third as he was the final man in the heat under a minute in 59.78, just holding on against fourth place Christian Mantegazza who sliced another tenth from his PB this morning to go 1:00.17. He was only two-tenths slower than Martinenghi on the back 50, and second fastest in the field.

Ludovico Art Viberti had the fastest time of the night from the ‘B’ final with a 59.04, beating out his previous PB of 59.27 to become the #3 Italian performer ever. He was also 0.25 under the required time for Singapore. He was out fastest of anyone with a 27.21, and held on well to come home under 32 seconds. Unfortunately for him, the regulations state a requirement for the time to be in the ‘A’ final at these championships in order to be considered for the World championships, so he’ll have to go again at the Sette Colli in order to make the team.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE– FINAL

• World Record – 1:52.23, Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 2024
• European Record – 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (ITA) 2009
• ITA Record – 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (2009)
• World Championships Qualifying Time – 1:57.39

GOLD – Alessandra Mao, 1:58.86
SILVER – Matilde Biagotti, 1:59.12
BRONZE – Anna Chiara Mascolo, 1:59.13

The final race of the evening lived up to its billing as a close race. With 50 to go the top-six were separated by just four tenths of a second, and four women were then sub-30 coming home.

The biggest surprise of all was the winner however: 2011-born Alessandra Mao, who paced her race perfectly in 58.18-1:00.68 as she held herself within storming distance before powering home in 29.86 to emerge with the victory. Not only content with a gold medal, she absolutely demolished her hours-old Italian age group record of 2:00.53 – prior to today it had stood at 2:02.77.

Behind her Matilde Biagotti ran down Anna Chiara Mascolo for second place, whilst Mascolo just held on to out-touch a charging Simona Quadarella who had the fastest final 50 in the field with a 29.63.

Quadarella almost even split her race, going 59.45-59.81 in a show of her distance credentials. After booking her spot on the plane to Singapore last night in the 800 free, she’ll have another opportunity tomorrow in the 1500.

After no one was under 2 minutes this morning, six women were tonight with a further four under 2:01. Despite this the women didn’t quite manage to make the cut for the 4×200 free relay, as they needed a combined add-up of 7:55.00. They just missed this time with a combined 7:56.37.

World Championships Qualifiers Through Day 2:

1. Simona Quadarella – women’s 800m free
2. Anita Bottazzo – women’s 100m breast
3. Lisa Angiolini – women’s 100m breast
4. Leonardo Deplano – men’s 50m free
5. Nicolo Martinenghi – men’s 100m breaststroke