Nicolo Martinenghi Slices .01 Off Italian Record In 100 Breast – 58.28

2020 TOKYO SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

• When: Pool swimming: Saturday, July 24 – Sunday, August 1, 2021
  • Open Water swimming: Wednesday, August 4 – Thursday, August 5, 2021
• Where: Olympic Aquatics Centre / Tokyo, Japan
• Heats: 7 PM / Semifinals & Finals: 10:30 AM (Local time)
• Full aquatics schedule
• SwimSwam Event Previews
• Entry Lists
• Live Results

Nicolo Martinenghi got off to a strong start in his debut Olympic Games, following up a solid prelim swim by resetting his Italian Record in the men’s 100 breaststroke for the seventh time in the semi-finals.

Martinenghi clocked 58.28 in the first of two semis, downing his previous National Record of 58.29 set at last month’s Sette Colli Trophy in Rome.

Split Comparison

The 21-year-old first broke the Italian Record in 2017, putting up a time of 59.31 to erase Fabio Scozzoli‘s record of 59.42, and has constantly chipped away at it over the last four years. That includes breaking 59 seconds for the first time in December of 2019 (58.75), and then launching himself into third all-time in the event with a 58.37 in April.

Italian Record Progression, Men’s 100 Breaststroke

• Fabio Scozzoli, 59.42 (2011)
• Nicolo Martinenghi, 59.31 (2017)
• Nicolo Martinenghi, 59.23 (2017)
• Nicolo Martinenghi, 59.01 (2017)
• Nicolo Martinenghi, 58.75 (2019)
• Nicolo Martinenghi, 58.37 (2021)
• Nicolo Martinenghi, 58.29 (2021)
• Nicolo Martinenghi, 58.28 (2021)

Following that 58.29 in June, Martinenghi entered the Tokyo Games tied with Belarusian Ilya Shymanovich for fourth on the entry list, with Dutchman Arno Kamminga (57.90) and American Michael Andrew (58.14) having overtaken him in the historical rankings.

However, Martinenghi has positioned himself for a medal after his semi-final swim, trailing only world record holder Adam Peaty (57.63) and Kamminga (58.19) during the morning session. Kamminga had a very strong preliminary, clocking 57.80, but the other medal contenders don’t appear to be at their best.

Martinenghi went 58.68 to advance fourth out of the heats, and after his National Record in the semis, has now been sub-59 on seven occasions. Set to turn 22 at the end of the Games, Martinenghi also breaks his tie with Shymanovich and now holds solo fourth all-time in the event.

All-Time Performers, Men’s 100 Breaststroke (LCM)

1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 56.88 – 2019
2. Arno Kamminga (NED), 57.80 – 2021
3. Michael Andrew (USA), 58.14 – 2021
4. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 58.28 – 2021
5. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 58.29 – 2019

The last Italian to win an Olympic medal in the men’s 100 breaststroke came from Domenico Fioravanti, who claimed a historic breaststroke sweep at the 2000 Games in Sydney.