Thomas Ceccon Hits 2 PBs Through Day 3 Of Australian Open (Italian Worlds Roster Update)

2025 AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Monday, April 21st – Thursday, April 24th
• Prelims at 10am local (8pm ET night before)/Finals at 6pm local (4am ET)
• Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Queensland, Australia
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview
• Initial Entries
• Start List
• Live Results
• Livestream
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap

Through three days of the 2025 Australian Open, Italian star Thomas Ceccon has notched lifetime bests in the 200 backstroke and 100 butterfly, winning both events. These performances have major implications for Italy’s roster heading into the World Championships this July in Singapore.

Ceccon was granted special permission to qualify for Worlds at this meet rather than last week’s Italian Nationals. He had already secured a spot in the 100 back for Singapore thanks to his 52.84 swim at the Speedo National Prep Meet in Brisbane in mid-March—a performance that was also approved by the Italian Swimming Federation as an official qualifying swim. As a result, he chose to scratch the 100 back at this meet in favor of the 100 fly, which was scheduled on the same day.

In that event, Ceccon logged a personal best of 51.26, shaving just over a tenth off his previous mark of 51.38 from Verona in 2022. He remains Italy’s second-fastest performer in history, behind only Piero Codia’s national record of 50.64.

The Italian qualifying time for the 100 fly was 51.29, so Ceccon had to post a new best to make the team. “Pretty happy with the time,” he said. “Didn’t expect that.”

On opening night, Ceccon shattered Matteo Restivo’s Italian record (1:56.29) with a time of 1:55.71. The swim also cleared Italy’s automatic qualifying standard, which matched the previous record. Ceccon’s prior best was 1:56.49 from the Athens World Cup in October 2023.

Speaking with Swimming Australia after his record, Ceccon shared, “I’m feeling refreshed. At home, I usually train alone or with maybe three people. Here, it’s like a family—20 people in the group. And on the weekend, I can take the car and surf at the Gold Coast.”

Despite officially qualifying for Singapore in these events, it’s still unclear what Ceccon will ultimately choose to swim, as he has plenty of options. His primary focus will likely be on claiming the world title in the 100 back, where he will need to fend off a deep field of 52-low swimmers, including Kliment Kolesnikov, the 2nd-fastest performer of all time, who overtook the world lead last week with a time of 52.04. Ceccon won the 2024 Olympic title in the 100 back with a time of 52.00 and holds the world record with his 51.60, set en route to winning the 2022 world title.

Ceccon is also the 2023 World Champion in the 50 fly, having clocked 23.00 in the prelims of that event at this meet, just outside the 22.89 mandated Italian qualifying mark. His personal best and Italian record of 22.68 would likely be enough for a top-three finish in Singapore, provided he is selected to swim the event through a discretionary pick, as outlined in the Italian selection criteria.

The 24-year-old is set to race the 100 free tomorrow, needing a sharp 48.09 to qualify to swim the event in Singapore—not far off his career best of 47.71 from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Updated Italian World Championship Qualifiers

Women:

• Simona Quadarella – 800 freestyle – 8:24.85
• Anita Bottazzo – 100 breaststroke – 1:05.82
• Lisa Angiolini – 100 breaststroke – 1:06.01
• Sara Franceschi – 200 IM – 2:10.95
• Anita Gastaldi – 200 IM – 2:10.97
• Sara Curtis – 100 freestyle – 53.01 (Italian Record), 50 freestyle – 24.43 (Italian Record)

Men:

• Leonardo Deplano – 50 freestyle – 21.62
• Nicolo Martinenghi – 50 breaststroke – 26.78, 100 breaststroke – 59.16
• Simone Cerasuolo – 50 breaststroke – 26.59
• Thomas Ceccon – 100 backstroke – 52.84 (swum at 2025 Speedo National Prep Meet); 200 backstroke – 1:55.71 (Italian Record, swum at 2025 Australian Open Championships); 100 butterfly — 51.26 (swum at 2025 Australian Open Championships)