Paltrinieri on 14:33 1500 FR Euro Record: “I Was Feeling Fast”

2020 SETTE COLLI TROPHY

“I was feeling good… I was feeling fast”, Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri said after his 14:33.10 1500 free European record swim. Paltrinieri had already set the 800 free Sette Colli meet record (7:40.22) on day two of the competition, which was a second away from his lifetime best (7:39.27). Paltrinieri’s record-setting 1500 free swim knocked nearly a second off his lifetime best and Italian record times of 14:34.04, which was set at the 2016 European Championships. Later that year, he won Olympic gold in the same event.

Paltrinieri said that this swim was “the first sign in a long process”, especially after changing coaches two months ago and the Tokyo Olympics now moved to 2021. Despite the global pandemic, Paltrinieri had been able to continue regular training while living at the Ostia Swim Complex in his home country. During his post-race interview, Paltrinieri had admitted that the empty pool was weird, especially without the large crowds due to pandemic restrictions.

This 14:33.10 swim makes him the second-fastest 1500 free performer in history, only behind China’s Sun Yang. Last year at the 2019 World Championships, Paltrinieri settled for bronze at 14:38.75, missing out on adding another title from his 2015/2017 World titles.

As originally reported by Retta Race.

MEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – FINAL

Sette Colli Record – Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 14:49.06 2017
Italian Record – Gregorio Paltrinieri, 14:34.04 2016

  • GOLD – Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) 14:33.10
  • SILVER – Domenico Acerenza (ITA) 14:49.98
  • BRONZE – Marc-Antoine Olivier (FRA) 15:06.29

Busting out the fastest 1500m free time of his career, Olympic champion Gregorio Paltrinieri sizzled with a time of 14:33.10 to take the gold in the final event here at Sette Colli.

Paltrinieri held the Italian national record with the 14:34.04 that he swam at the 2016 European Championships before winning Olympic gold a few months later. His former best time was also the European record in the event.

Flash forward to tonight and the unstoppable 25-year-old blasted the 2nd fastest performance all-time. Only Chinese Olympic champion Sun Yang’s World Record of 14:31.02 from the 2012 Olympic Games has been faster.

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Vic
3 years ago

Where is he training now?

John
Reply to  Vic
3 years ago

probably a tub full of ice, I imagine that swim must of hurt!

JORDI FIGOLS
Reply to  Vic
3 years ago

Paltrinieri left Stefano Morini and Ostia (one of the many Italian National Centers just outside Rome) to train with Fabrizio Antonelli (still in Rome, in one of the Army Sports Center). Fabrizio was a good long distance swimmer (& OW) and is mainly an open water coach: he coaches Rachele Bruno, Arianna Bridi and Martina de Memme who are all of them in the National Team. To highlight that Domenico Acerenza who was swimming with Morini left also for Antonelli.

Bevo
3 years ago

In August, after a lock down, with no crowds, an electrifying swim. Good for him and our sport. I’d be curious to know what his last 6 months looked like. Nobody had consistency anywhere, making this even more impressive.

Olympian
Reply to  Bevo
3 years ago

Only proves the point that the energy for this level of performance comes mostly from the mental aspect of the athlete.
Sometimes the circunstancies don’t matter, you just gotta go out there and do your job.

Sam
Reply to  Olympian
3 years ago

I don’t know what you mean by mental aspect. Doesn’t he need to train his body first and foremost?

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Sam
3 years ago

they need both to be fit

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Sam
3 years ago

It’s only a 1500.

Torchbearer
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
3 years ago

Its only 1500m…at 14.30 pace!!!!!

Olympian
3 years ago

He sure was! LOL

Arguably the greatest distance swimmer of all times, I’m rooting for a WR next year, even though I don’t like the virtual lynching Sun Yang goes through on a daily around here I still wanna see dopers scratched out of the record boards.

Nordic
Reply to  Olympian
3 years ago

Ever heard about a guy named Vladimir Salnikov?

Casas 100 back gold in Tokyo
Reply to  Nordic
3 years ago

Salnikov would have been the first male swimmer (and the only distance swimmer by now) to achieve 3-peat at the Olympics, if Soviet Union didn’t boycott 1984 Olympics.

John
Reply to  Olympian
3 years ago

I think Hackett, Salnikov and Thorpe (Among others)have something to say about that.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  John
3 years ago

I think so too ….;

Yes
Reply to  John
3 years ago

Anyone else would love to see Thorpe racing 1500 in prime shape?

HULKSWIMHULKSMASH
Reply to  John
3 years ago

Perkins?

N P
Reply to  John
3 years ago

Perkins, Hackett, and Salnikov were all 2-time champions in the 1500 and medalled at Olympics 8 years apart. If Paltrinieri wins the Games next summer and breaks the WR, then I’d include him in the conversation for greatest ever.

Smith-King-Dahlia-Manuel
Reply to  John
3 years ago

Thorpe?

You must have confused Kieren Perkins for Ian Thorpe.

Torchbearer
Reply to  Smith-King-Dahlia-Manuel
3 years ago

Thorpe only did a couple of 800m internationally- of course he won and broke the WR, against Hackett!

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  John
3 years ago

Throw in Mike Burton. 3 NCAA 1650 titles, 2 Olympic 1500 meter golds back when swimming was entirely amateur and goggles were a luxury.

Fraser Thorpe
Reply to  Olympian
3 years ago

Perkins definitely elevated the event but I’d put Hackett and Salnikov ahead. Salnikov was robbed of the three peat as casas said.

Thorpe’s 800 surely implied he had a world class 1500 in him?

Mr Piano
Reply to  Fraser Thorpe
3 years ago

Thorpe won the 200, 400, and 800 at worlds, and also was on both the 4×100 free relay and the 4×100 medley relay, not mentioning the 4×200 free. I don’t know if he had it in the tank to beat Hackett’s 1500 at that meet, but if he did, it would have been a 2007 and 2008 Phelps level meet. It already wasn’t far off.

Torchbearer
Reply to  Mr Piano
3 years ago

Forgot that Thorpe medalled (bronze 2014) in the 100m and won globally at 200,400 and 800m!…That is unprecedented in modern times surely? Hackett held the WR in the 200m and 1500m…thats impressive too!

tallswimmer
3 years ago

“I was feeling fast” Well no S#!t, Sherlock…

swimboi
3 years ago

That’s a pretty monster swim. This guy could be the first one 14:30 next year. Glad to see that he improved his PB especially with Covid training. Hope he is able throw down an exciting race with Sun next year.

25Backstroke
Reply to  swimboi
3 years ago

Swim politics aside, I don’t think Sun has thrown down a competitive 1500 since 2013. Should be looking at Wellbrock, Romanchuk, and possibly Bobby Finke after his ridiculous NCAA season.

Smith-King-Dahlia-Manuel
Reply to  25Backstroke
3 years ago

Face the facts. The U.S. men where nowhere to be found in the 200 FR, 400 FR, 800 FR, 1500 FR at the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships. Please don’t even try to hang your hat on Grothe’s 8th place finish in the men’s 400 meter freestyle. Simply deplorable!

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Smith-King-Dahlia-Manuel
3 years ago

Also nowhere to be found in the 100 and 200 breast, 200 fly at that meet. So not exactly like the U.S. men were going crazy outside of Dressel. Just not the glamor events in the U.S. A generation of guys grew up watching Phelps and Lochte, whose 4th or 5th best events were world class 200 frees. And then Dressel became the rage. Not like the Thorp/Hackett/Perkins era or the 70’s of Holland/Goodell/Demont. Everyone just wants to dunk now.

AnEn
Reply to  swimboi
3 years ago

Would be very surprised to see Sun in the 1500 free (or any other race) at the olympics. I think it could be a 4-way battle between Paltrinieri, Wellbrock, Romanchuk and Grgić.

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  AnEn
3 years ago

At this rate, I’d be surprised to see anyone in any race at the Olympics.

Freddy
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
3 years ago

2022 if we are lucky

Swammer
Reply to  swimboi
3 years ago

Aren’t we all forgetting about his 8 year ban? The only race he’ll have with Sun is racing that WR line

About Nick Pecoraro

Nick Pecoraro

Nick has had the passion for swimming since his first dive in the water in middle school, immediately falling for breaststroke. Nick had expanded to IM events in his late teens, helping foster a short, but memorable NCAA Div III swim experience at Calvin University. While working on his B.A. …

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