2026 Sette Colli Trophy: Day Two Finals Live Recap

67th SETTE COLLI TROPHY 

• Friday, June 26th – Sunday, June 28th
• Prelims at 9am local (3am ET)/A-Finals at 7pm local (1pm ET)
• Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
• SwimSwam Preview
• Entry List
• Prelims Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2
• Finals Recaps: Day 1
• Live Results
• Prelims Livestream
• Finals Livestream

We have some potentially explosive finals on the agenda for this evening, day two of the 2026 Sette Colli Trophy, taking place in Rome, Italy.

This morning, American Gretchen Walsh claimed two top seeds, hitting a time of 55.47 for a new meet record in the 100m fly, and posting 53.38 for a new season-best in the 100m free.

She’ll be challenged by the likes of Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium and Angelina Köhler of Germany in the former, while on-fire Dutch Olympian Marrit Steenbergen and Hong Kong multi-Olympic medalist Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong will be chasing Walsh in the latter sprint.

Sara Curtis, last night’s 50m back European Record-setting athlete, will also be putting her hat in the ring for possible 100m free hardware.

Italian national record holder Nicolo Martinenghi will seek gold in the men’s 100m breaststroke after missing the podium last night in the 50m.

His counterpart Benedetta Pilato will be the one to beat in the women’s 50m breaststroke, although countrywoman Lisa Angiolini doesn’t sit very far behind.

Federico Burdisso, 2020 Olympic bronze medalist of the host country, will be vying for gold in the 200m fly, while Greek Olympic medalist Apostolos Christou will be seeking the same potential podium-topping performance in the 100m back.

Add in the men’s and women’s 400m IM final and the fastest heats of their respective 800m free and tonight’s lineup is must-watch from start to finish.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – FINAL

• World Record – 54.33, Gretchen Walsh (USA), 2026
• World Junior Record – 56.43, Clair Curzan (USA), 2021
• European Record – 55.48, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2016
• European Junior Record – 56.46 Benchmark
• Italian Record – 57.04, Elenna Di Liddo, 2019
• Meet Record – 55.47, Gretchen Walsh, 2026

GOLD – Gretchen Walsh (USA), 54.82 *Meet Record
SILVER  – Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL), 57.24
BRONZE – Anna Ntountounaki (GRE), 57.79

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new meet record to kick off tonight’s events, with 23-year-old World Record holder Gretchen Walsh throwing down a big-time swim of 54.82 to easily take the gold.

She already established a meet record out of the morning heats, courtesy of the 55.47, which overtook Sarah Sjostrom‘s former benchmark of 56.04 from 2015.

Tonight, Walsh opened in 25.26 and closed in 29.56 to get to the wall well over two seconds ahead of the pack.

Belgium’s versatile national record holder Roos Vanotterdijk produced 57.24 as the silver medalist, followed by Greece’s Anna Ntountounaki, who hit 57.79, good enough for bronze.

Vanotterdijk owns the Belgian standard at the PB of 55.84 logged at the 2025 World Championships for the silver medal. Ntountounaki’s Greek standard stands at the 57.25 notched at the 2020 Olympic Games.

Walsh is the current World Record holder in the 100m fly, with her lifetime best of 54.33 just a springboard for the woman who says she wants to break the 54-second barrier.

Tonight’s performance represents the 5th-fastest time of Walsh’s already-incredible career and the 5th-fastest performance of all time. She remains the only woman to ever clear the 55-second barrier in the event.

American Gretchen Walsh‘s Top 5 Performances in LCM 100 Butterfly

1. 54.33, 2026 *WR*
2. 54.60, 2025
3. 54.73, 2025
4. 54.76, 2025
5. 54.82, 2026

MEN’S 200 FLY – FINAL

• World Record – 1:50.34, Kristof Milak (HUN), 2022
• World Junior Record – 1:53.79, Kristof Milak (HUN), 2017
• European Record – 1:50.34, Kristof Milak (HUN), 2022
• European Junior Record – 1:52.71, Kristof Milak (HUN), 2018
• Italian Record – 1:54.28, Federico Burdisso, 2021
• Meet Record – 1:53.18, Kristof Milak (HUN), 2021

GOLD – Federico Burdisso (ITA), 1:55.10
SILVER  – Richard Marton (HUN), 1:55.51 
BRONZE – Noe Ponti (SUI), 1:56.10

The host nation earned its first medal of the evening, courtesy of 24-year-old Olympic bronze medalist Federico Burdisso in the men’s 200m fly.

Burdisso punched a result of 1:55.10, tightening up at the end, but still hanging on strong enough to keep a charging Hungarian in Richard Marton at bay.

26-year-old Marton settled for silver less than half a second back in 1:55.51, for the 6th-swiftest time of his career, with Swiss superstar and Olympic medalist Noe Ponti rounding out the podium in 1:56.10.

Burdisso’s time checks in as a new season-best, ranking him 17th in the world at the moment. It also represents the 10th-swiftest performance of his career enough to qualify him for the European Championships.

A one-time swimmer for Northwestern in the NCAA, Burdisso broke through with a bronze in this 200m fly event at the 2020 Olympic Games (1:54.45).

Since that time, however, the Italian has been mostly quiet on the individual event side, save for a men’s medley relay bronze at the 2024 World Championships. His times this morning and this evening beat his former season-best of 1:57.26 from the Lausanne Swim Cup, hopefully giving Burdisso fans some positivity that he’s trending in the right direction with the European Championships on the horizon.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK – FINAL

• World Record – 57.13, Regan Smith (USA), 2024
• World Junior Record – 57.57, Regan Smith (USA), 2019
• European Record – 58.08, Kathleen Dawson (GBR), 2021
• European Junior Record – 59.08, Anastasia Shkurdai (BLR), 2020
• Italian Record – 58.92, Margherita Panziera, 2019
• Meet Record – 59.23, Kira Toussaint (NED), 2021

GOLD – Martina Biasioli (ITA), 1:00.77
SILVER  – Federica Toma (ITA), 1:00.84
BRONZE – Anita Gastaldi (ITA), 1:00.98

The women’s 100m back final was on the subdued side, with no contender dipping under the 1:00 barrier in tonight’s final.

Martina Biasioli led an Italian sweep of the podium, with the 22-year-old posting 1:00.77 to continue her momentum from grabbing the top seed out of the morning heats.

Teammate Federica Toma reached the wall next, just .07 behind in 1:00.84, with Anita Gastaldi also right there in the mix with a bronze medal-worthy outing of 1:00.98.

The women were chasing a selection standard of 1:00.29 in order to qualify for the Italian roster for this summer’s European Championships, so the top 3 all fell short of that feat.

MEN’S 100 BACK – FINAL

• World Record – 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 2022
• World Junior Record – 52.08, Miron Lifintsev (RUS), 2024
• European Record – 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 2022
• European Junior Record – 52.08, Miron Lifintsev (RUS), 2024
• Italian Record – 51.60, Thomas Ceccon, 2022
• Meet Record – 52.43, Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 2024

GOLD – Apostolos Christou (GRE), 52.47
SILVER  – Adam Jaszo (HUN), 53.70
BRONZE – Francesco Lazzari (ITA), 53.91

29-year-old Olympic medalist Apostolos Christou of Greece put his talent on display in a big way in the mens’ 100m backstroke, crushing a swift effort of 52.47 to handily defeat his competitors this evening.

Christou opened in 25.36 and closed in 27.11 to beat the pack by well over a second, with Hungarian Adam Jaszo checking in as the next-closest swimmer in 53.70.

Italy bagged the bronze, courtesy of Francesco Lazzari‘s swim of 53.91.

For Christou’s part, his outing here was within striking distance of his best-ever and Greek national record of 52.09 notched nearly 4 years ago at the 2022 World Championships. In fact, the Greek’s performance her represents the 7th-quickest of his career to rank 4th in the world this season.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINAL

• World Record – 4:23.65, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2025
• World Junior Record – 4:24.38, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2024
• European Record – 4:26.36, Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2016
• European Junior Record – 4:34.96, Vivien Jackl (HUN), 2024
• Italian Record – 4:34.34, Alessia Filippi, 2008
• Meet Record – 4:34.65, Ilaria Cusinato (ITA), 2018

GOLD – Alex Walsh (USA), 4:35.25
SILVER  – Ellen Walshe (IRL), 4:37.20
BRONZE – Anna Pirovano (ITA), 4:39.38

Alex Walsh of the United States put on a powerful show in the women’s 400m IM, notching a big-time swim of 4:35.25 to grab the gold.

She came within a second of the longstanding meet record of 4:34.65 that Italy’s Ilaria Cusinato established in 2018 and tonight’s effort represents Olympic medalist Walsh’s 2nd-fastest time ever.

Walsh’s personal best remains at the 4:34.46 notched at the 2023 World Championships, so the University of Virginia talent was less than a second off that PB.

Ireland’s reigning national record holder Ellen Walshe came into the wall next in 4:37.20, with Italy’s Anna Pirovano also landing on the podium in 4:39.38, good enough for bronze.

MEN’S 400 IM – FINAL

• World Record – 4:02.50, Leon Marchand (FRA), 2023
• World Junior Record – 4:08.84, Yumeki Kojima (JPN), 2026
• European Record – 4:02.50, Leon Marchand (FRA), 2023
• European Junior Record – 4:10.02, Ilya Borodin (RUS), 2021
• Italian Record – 4:09.29, Alberto razzetti, 2023
• Meet Record – 4:07.47, David Verraszto (HUN), 2017

GOLD – Alberto Razzetti (ITA), 4:13.37
SILVER  – Gabor Zombori (HUN), 4:14.55
BRONZE – Emanuele Potenza (ITA), 4:16.36

Nothing too crazy happened in the men’s edition of the 400m IM final, with no competitor clearing the 4:10 barrier.

Domestic ace and national record holder Alberto Razzetti grabbed the gold in 4:13.37, with Hungarian Gabor Zombori downgraded from being the top seed to now silver medalist in 4:14.55.

Razzetti’s countryman Emanuele Potenza earned 3rd place in 4:16.36.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – FINAL

• World Record – 51.71, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017
• World Junior Record – 52.70, Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 2016
• European Record – 51.71, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017
• European Junior Record – 53.61, Freya Anderson (GBR), 2018
• Italian Record – 53.01, Sara Curtis, 2025
• Meet Record – 52.57, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2024

GOLD – Marrit Steenbergen (NED), 51.68 *World Record*
SILVER  – Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 52.52 52.02
BRONZE – Sara Curtis (ITA), 52.69 *Italian Record*

This women’s 100m freestyle final was one for the ages, as on-fire Dutch Olympian Marrit Steenbergen took down the historic World Record in an other-worldly time of 51.68.

Opening in 24.98 and bringing it home in 26.70, Steenbergen’s monster effort erased Swedish Olympic icon Sarah Sjostrom‘s longstanding WR of 51.71, which she put on the books nearly a decade ago in 2017.

26-year-old World Championships gold medalist Steenbergen was already the #1 swimmer in the world entering this 1free final, courtesy of the 51.86 national record she put up in May at the Mare Nostrum Tour stop in Canet. That was followed shortly by another eye-popping time of 51.97 just two days later at the Barcelona edition to become the first-ever woman to notch more than one 51-second swim.

Sara Curtis, the versatile University of Virginia superstar, followed up her 50m back European Record from last night with a huge lifetime best and Italian national record of 52.69 for the bronze. That marks her first-ever foray under the 53-second barrier to make history for her nation.

Not to be lost was 4-time Olympic medalist Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong’s still-impressive time of 52.52 for silver. That was exactly a half-second off her own national record of 52.02. She already ranked 4th in the world entering this meet as a result of the 52.36 etched in Monaco.

Look for separate posts on Steenbergen’s and Curtis’ swims.

MEN’S 100 FREE – FINAL

• World Record – 46.40, Pan Zhanle (CHN), 2024
• World Junior Record – 46.86, David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• European Record – 46.51, David Popovici (ROU), 2025
• European Junior Record – 46.86, David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• Italian Record – 47.45, Alessandro Miressi, 2021
• Meet Record – 47.60, Egor Kornev (RUS), 2025

GOLD – David Popovici (ROU), 47.26 *Meet Record*
SILVER  – Gui Caribe (BRA), 47.88
BRONZE – Kristof Milak (HUN), 47.89

After the high-octane final of the women’s 100m free, the men got their turn, with a new meet record biting the dust at the hands of Romanian David Popovici.

Stopping the clock at a super speedy result of 47.26, Popovici led a trio of sub-48-second swimmers.

Joining him under the barrier was Brazil’s Gui Caribe, who notched 47.88, with Hungarian World Record holder in the 200m fly Kristof Milak also in that zone with a mark of 47.89.

Croatian national record holder Jere Hribar hit 48.11 for the 3rd seed out of the heats but wound up missing the podium, relegated to 4th place in 48.06. That, however, put his own Croatian benchmark of 47.93 from the 2025 World Championships on notice.

Popovici was already 47.72 this morning, so we knew something special was in order from the 21-year-old. His gold medal-winning swim crushed his former season-best of 47.52 put up at April’s Romanian Championships and he’s now the #2 swimmer in the world right now.

This men’s 100m free is getting more cut-throat by the minute. Just last night at the Spanish Championships, two swimmers cleared the 48-second barrier for the first time ever. Luca Hoek notched 47.72 for a new national record and Cesar Castro hit 47.98.

The top 19 athletes in the world at the moment are all in the 47-second zone, making this one of the deepest fields of all men’s events around the world.

As a side note, a fully-bearded Thomas Ceccon won the B-Final in 48.52.

WOMEN’S 50 BREAST – FINAL

• World Record – 29.16, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2023
• World Junior Record – 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 2021
• European Record – 29.16, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2023
• European Junior Record – 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 2021
• Italian Record – 29.30, Benedetta Pilato, 2021
• Meet Record – 29.69, Benedetta Pilato, 2021

GOLD – Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 30.00
SILVER  – Lisa Angiolini (ITA), 30.49
BRONZE – Mona McSharry (IRL), 30.66

21-year-old domestic national record holder Benedetta Pilato kept her speed from capturing the top seed in this morning’s heats, winning the 50m breaststroke final in a rapid result of 30.00.

That held off teammate Lisa Angiolini, who touched just under half a second later in 30.49, with Irish national record holder and Olympic medalist Mona McSharry rounding out the podium in 30.66.

Pilato’s effort erased her previous 30.13 season-best notched at April’s Italian Championships.

Russia’s Olympic medalist Yuliya Efimova settled for 4th place in 30.79, with Haughey, fresh off her 100m free silver medal, delivering a solid performance of 30.81 for 5th place in the race.

Notable was the fact that Russian Nika Godun won the B-Final in a time of 30.79, which would have tied Efimova for 4th in the A-Final contest.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINAL

• World Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019
• World Junior Record – 58.67, Shin Ohashi (JPN), 2026
• European Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019
• European Junior Record – 59.01, Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 2017
• Italian Record – 58.26, Nicolo Martinenghi, 2022
• Meet Record – 58.29, Nicolo Martinenghi, 2021

GOLD – Ivan Kozhakin (RUS), 59.49
SILVER  – Melvin Imoudu (GER), 59.78
BRONZE – Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 59.79

Ivan Kozhakin of Russia, competing as a neutral athlete at this competition, held on to his top seed to see through this 100m breaststroke event to gold.

28-year-old Kozhakin stopped the clock at 59.49, dropping significant time off his morning mark of 59.75.

German Melvin Imoudu upgraded himself from the 4th seed to a silver medal, clocking 59.78, just .01 ahead of Italian national record holder and reignig Olympic champion Nicolo Martinenghi, who hit 59.79 for bronze.

As for Kozhakin, the Russian is experiencing a career resurgence of sorts, delivering his fastest times now as a 28-year-old.

The veteran produced his first-ever 100m breast under the 59-second barrier just this past April (58.91) and did it again in June (58.93). Kozhakin claimed the top seed in the 50m breast yesterday morning, but settled for bronze in the final.

WOMEN’S 800 FREE – FASTEST HEAT

• World Record – 8:04.12, Katie Ledecky (USA), 2025
• World Junior Record – 8:11.00, Katie Ledecky (USA), 2014
• European Record – 8:12.81, Simona Quadarella (ITA), 2025
• European Junior Record – 8:21.91, Merve Tuncel (TUR), 2021
• Italian Record – 8:12.81, Simona Quadarella, 2025
• Meet Record – 8:18.95, Simona Quadarella (ITA), 2024

GOLD – Simona Quadarella (ITA), 8:21.03
SILVER  – Sarah Dumont (BEL), 8:30.44
BRONZE – Antonietta Cesarano (ITA), 8:33.02

Italian national record holder Simona Quadarella was the definitive victor of the women’s 800m free, posting a winning result of 8:21.03 this evening.

That was just outside her season-best of 8:20.54, put up on the Mare Nostrum Tour to currently rank 6th in the world with the European Championships on the horizon.

It was Belgium’s Sarah Dumont who secured the silver medal position in 8:30.44, followed by Quadarella’s countrywoman Antonietta Cesarano, who clinched bronze in 8:33.02.

MEN’S 800 FREE – FASTEST HEAT

• World Record – 7:32.12, Zhang Lin (CHN), 2009
• World Junior Record – 7:43.37, Lorenzo Galossi (ITA), 2022
• European Record – 7:37.94, Johannes Liebmann (GER), 2026
• European Junior Record – 7:43.37, Lorenzo Galossi (ITA), 2022
• Italian Record – 7:39.27, Gregorio Paltrinieri, 2019
• Meet Record – 7:40.22, Gregorio Paltrinieri, 2020

GOLD – Vasileios Kakoulakis (GRE), 7:52.56
SILVER  – Guilherme Costa (BRA), 7:53.20
BRONZE – Daniel Wiffen (IRL), 7:53.76

The final event of the evening saw Greek standout Vasileios Kakoulakis nab the gold, producing a mark of 7:52.56 as the fastest men’s 800m freestyler.

That held off Brazilian Guilherme Costa , who settled for silver in 7:53.30, as Irish Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen also landed on the podium in 7:53.76, good enough for bronze.