2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
- Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
- The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
- Meet site
- Competition Schedule
- FinaTV Live Stream
- Entry Lists
- Results
Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri put together a dominating performance in the final of the men’s 800 freestyle on day four at the 2019 World Championships, winning the gold medal in a time of 7:39.27.
The times gives Paltrinieri a new European Record, lowering his countryman Gabriele Detti‘s 7:40.77 from the 2017 Worlds, and also moves him past Detti into #6 all-time in the event.
Previously, the 24-year-old went a best of 7:40.81 at the 2015 World Championships. This is his first World title in the event after winning silver in Kazan and bronze in Budapest.
SPLIT COMPARISON
The difference between the two swims came on the back 400, as Paltrinieri kept all but one of those 50s sub-29 while Detti’s 2017 swim only did so on three out of eight.
| Detti, 2017 Worlds | Paltrinieri, 2019 Worlds |
| 26.59 | 26.69 |
| 55.29 (28.70) | 55.62 (28.93) |
| 1:24.17 (28.88) | 1:24.44 (28.82) |
| 1:53.17 (29.00) | 1:53.36 (28.92) |
| 2:22.38 (29.21) | 2:22.13 (28.77) |
| 2:51.75 (29.37) | 2:51.24 (29.11) |
| 3:20.99 (29.24) | 3:20.11 (28.87) |
| 3:50.38 (29.39) | 3:48.92 (28.81) |
| 4:19.63 (29.25) | 4:17.70 (28.78) |
| 4:48.74 (29.11) | 4:46.42 (28.72) |
| 5:17.85 (29.11) | 5:15.02 (28.60) |
| 5:47.01 (29.16) | 5:43.69 (28.67) |
| 6:15.93 (28.92) | 6:12.45 (28.76) |
| 6:44.97 (29.04) | 6:41.37 (28.92) |
| 7:13.30 (28.33) | 7:10.74 (29.37) |
| 7:40.77 (27.47) | 7:39.27 (28.53) |
Norwegian Henrik Christiansen also joined the all-time top-10 with his National Record time of 7:41.28 to sit eighth.
ALL-TIME PERFORMERS, MEN’S 800 FREESTYLE
- Zhang Lin (CHN), 7:32.12 – 2009
- Oussama Mellouli (TUN), 7:35.27 – 209
- Sun Yang (CHN), 7:38.57 – 2011
- Grant Hackett (AUS), 7:38.65 – 2005
- Ian Thorpe (AUS), 7:39.16 – 2001
- Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 7:39.27 – 2019
- Gabriele Detti (ITA), 7:40.77 – 2017
- Henrik Christiansen (NOR), 7:41.28 – 2019
- Wojciech Wojdak (POL), 7:41.73 – 2017
- Ryan Cochrane (CAN), 7:41.86 – 2011
Frenchman David Aubry picked up bronze behind Paltrinieri and Christinanen, setting a new National Record of his own by over four seconds in 7:42.08. Detti, who led the race early, ended up fifth in 7:43.89.
It is amazing to watch him race. More of a janet evans style than, say, a 2011 Sun Yang style. So steady. Fast strokes. Just never tires. Think we mightttt even see a WR in the 1500 this week…
the fact that the only time thorpe swam this event, he swam a time which still would have won most races since is mindblowing. it wasn’t even his pet event, just a one off experiment