BUDAPEST (HUNGARY) (ITALPRESS) – Two silver medals for Italy and a shower of world records broken at Budapest’s Duna Arena on the first day of competition at the World Short Course Swimming Championships. In an afternoon dominated by the United States (already 4 golds in the safe), the tricolor expedition smiles with the second places of Alberto Razzetti, in the 200 medley, and of the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay composed of Alessandro Miressi, Leonardo Deplano, Lorenzo Zazzeri and Manuel Frigo. You can’t hear the notes of the Mameli anthem, but the balance is definitely positive for the Azzurri, on the podium with Razzetti practically at the first useful opportunity: extraordinary the comeback of the 25-year-old from Lavagna who puts the turbo in the last two breaststroke and freestyle fractions and sets the new Italian record (1’50″88) touching behind only American Shaine Casas (1’49″51 and championships record). Canadian Finlay Knox’s bronze (1’50″90) completes the picture. “I’d say I’m proud of myself, I’m so happy, I really wanted to start off on the right foot by improving these 200 medley: 1’50″ is a great time, I’ve been trying to do it for a long time,” rejoices Razzetti in the mixed zone. “I knew that we were all on the same level,” he tells the microphones of Rai Sport. “So I put my head down and tried to touch before the others. “The men change but never the result: the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay, Olympic bronze medalists this summer in Paris, once again confirms itself among the big boys at the world level. The U.S. is uncatchable, but behind them Italy is there, despite a complicated start with Alessandro Miressi immediately forced to chase the U.S. and the Russian team swimming under a neutral flag. It was Leonardo Deplano who led the Azzurri to second place and then it was the turn of Italnuoto’s captain Lorenzo Zazzeri and Manuel Frigo to confirm the position: the final time was 3’03″65, almost 2 seconds from the world record swim (3’01″66) set by Americans Jack Alexy, Luke Hobson, Kieran Smith and Chris Giuliano. In the tussle for third place, Poland eventually won in 3’04″46. “We did well, we’re on the podium again, we manage to confirm ourselves every time,” exults Miressi, “we stood up for ourselves,” adds his teammate Leonardo Deplano. “We are a solid, interchangeable team,” continues Zazzeri, who partly dedicates the silver to two great absentees. “Today,” recalls the Tuscan, “we were missing two important pawns like Thomas (Ceccon ed.) and Paolo Conte Bonin, the medal is also for them. Finally, the satisfaction of Manuel Frigo: “The short tub is not my specialty, but I did well, I improved a lot and I’m happy. “Disappointment instead for the women’s relay (Sofia Morini, Sara Curtis, Chiara Tarantino and Emma Virginia Menicucci) only fifth in 3’29″58. Gold with world record (3’25″01) again for the USA with Kate Douglass, Katharine Berkoff, Alex Shackell and Gretchen Walsh. Luca De Tullio finished sixth in the 1500 freestyle, while Michele Busa (22″08) qualified for the finals of the 50 butterfly where he booked a medal for the Swiss Noah Ponti whose 21″43 dropped the world record. Also doing well was Lorenzo Mora (49″54), in the final of the 100 backstroke, out went the other Italian Christian Bacico (50″61) and Silvia Di Pietro (25″26), who surrendered at the swim off, to Australia’s Lily Price (25″07), the last pass for tomorrow’s 50 butterfly race. Meanwhile, American Gretchen Walsh, the best time in the semifinals, is celebrating, breaking the world record (23″94) and becoming the first woman to go under 24″ in this specialty. All-time records also for Canadian Summer McIntosh, gold in the 400 style in 3’50″25, and for American Kate Douglass in the women’s 200 medley, dominated in 2’01″63.- photo Ipa Agency -(ITALPRESS).
