Gabriele Detti is an Italian swimmer from Livorno. He trains under Stefano Morini at Team Lombardia MGM.
Early Career
Detti had a lot of success as a junior swimmer. His first international call up came in 2009 at the European Youth Olympic Festival where he came 14th in 1,500 meter freestyle. He has a busy summer in 2011. His first stop was the European Junior Championships where he picked up a trio of silvers in 400, 800 and 1,500 freestyle. Next, the World Junior Championships, where he collected a silver in 800 freestyle and bronze in 1,500 freestyle. At his second European Juniors, he switched his silvers for golds. Finishing in the top spot in 400 and 1,500 meter freestyle and 800 freestyle relay.
2012 European Championships
In his first senior international meet, Detti made finals in both his events. He touched 5th in 800 meter freestyle and 6th in 400 meter freestyle.
2012 London Olympics
A month before his 18th birthday, Detti took to the world’s greatest sporting stage for the first time. He swam 1,500 meter freestyle, finishing 13th in 15:06.22.
2013 FINA World Championships
In Shanghai, Detti finished 14th, 11th and 19th in the 400, 800 and 1,500 freestyle respectively.
2014 European Championships
After breaking the 800 meter freestyle European record at the Italian Championships, Detti picked up his first senior international medals in Berlin, bronzes in 800 and 1,500 meter freestyle. He also finished 4th in 400 meter freestyle and 6th in 800 freestyle relay.
2015 Season
Detti was forced to take time out of the pool during the 2015 season due to a violent urinary tract infection. He was unable to compete at the World Championships that year.
2016 European Championships
A month before heading to London, Detti qualified for Rio Olympics in 400 and 1,500 meter freestyle at the Italian Championships. His time of 3:43.97 was the third fastest 400 meter freestyle in the World so far in 2016.
On the first night in London, Detti took gold in stunning fashion in the 400 meter freestyle, in a new championship record. He negative split the race to touch in 3:44.01, just slightly off his best time from the Italian Championships.
2016 Rio Olympics
With more experience under his belt, Detti took home bronze medals in each of his two individual swims at his second Olympics. His first came on day one with a strong second half in the 400 meter freestyle. At the halfway point, Detti turned in last place in a tight race. After 300 meters he had moved up two places and a final split of 54.67 moved him up another three to take the bronze in 3:44.01.
He waited a long time for his second medal. It came on the last day in the 1,500 meter freestyle when he finished in 14:40.86 to join his country mate, Greggorio Paltrinieri who took gold, on the podium. USA’s Connor Jaeger finished second.
Detti was also part of the Italian 4×200 freestyle relay team, but they failed to make it back in the finals, finishing 9th.
2017 FINA World Championships
Detti won bronze in the 400m freestyle — 3:43.93 — on day one of Worlds behind China’s Sun Yang and Australia’s Mack Horton. He was back in action three days later where he won gold in the 800 meter freestyle. He got out to an early lead, cruising ahead of the field. His Italian teammate Gregorio Paltrinieri, though, edged ahead for the lead, and the race moved to the center lanes, as Paltrinieri and Poland’s Wojciech Wojdak did battle on the back half of the race. Detti had another gear at the end, though, and he surged past the leaders on the last 50 to win it all in 7:40.77, setting new Italian and European records in the process. Those records used to belong to Paltrinieri at 7:40.81.
2018 Short Course World Championships
Detti earned the bronze medal in the 400 freestyle – 3:37.64 – in Hangzhou.
2019 FINA World Championships
Detti started his World Champs by successfully defending his bronze medal in the 400 free, touching for 3rd in a time of 3:43.23, a new personal best and Italian record.
2021 European Championships (Budapest, Hungary)
In Budapest, Detti earned a bronze medal in the 800 free (7:46.10). He also placed 4th in the 400 free (3:46.07), just outside of a medal.
