BUDAPEST (HUNGARY) (ITALPRESS) – Lorenzo Mora silver in the 200 backstroke and the men’s 4X100 mixed relay team bronze give Italy medal numbers eight and nine, respectively, at the World Short Course Swimming Championships. In Budapest, Hungary, the curtain falls on the rainbow kermesse: the Italian national team closes with one gold, five silver and three bronze medals, finishing eighth in the medal table, which was won by the United States with 39 total medals (18-13-8). A day with many lights and few shadows for the Azzurri. Starting with Lorenzo Mora: the 26-year-old from Carpi runs a race to perfection and stops the stopwatch on 1’48″96 surrendering only to Hungary’s Hubert Kos (1’45″65″) and finishing ahead of France’s Mewen Tomac (1’49″93). “It was the only distance where I missed the silver – commented the blue swimmer warmly – I knew it was possible today even if the first one was unreachable, he is Olympic champion for a reason. I am very happy, it was important to close well.” A few minutes of rest for Mora and then cap and goggles again for the men’s 4X100 mixed relay that gives a wonderful bronze medal, repeating the result of Melbourne two years ago. Mora (backstroke), Ludovico Viberti (breaststroke), Michele Busa (dolphin) and Alessandro Miressi (freestyle) finish on the lowest step of the podium with a time of 3’19″91.
Victory for Russia dominating with a time of 3’18″68 (new world record), silver for the United States with 3’19″03. “Amazing world championship, this is the icing on the cake,” said Lorenzo Viberti, “We train every day to have these experiences and to have fun. “We did really well, we all did great performances,” remarked Alessandro Miressi. Michele Busa also echoed him, “Beautiful relay, we were charged up already in the call room. We had fun, it was good.” In the other races, Benedetta Pilato (women’s 50 breaststroke) and Simone Cerasuolo (men’s 50 breaststroke) came close to a medal, both finishing fourth. The 17-year-old from Taranto closed with 29″11: “I’m happy to have improved on yesterday, I tried – commented the Apulian – I arrived a little long in the turn, but that’s okay.” Six hundredths, so much was missing for Cerasuolo to get on the podium step, the 21-year-old from Imola stopped the clock on 25″56: “I lost those hundredths at the finish,” his regret.
In the women’s 50 freestyle, Silvia Di Pietro finished sixth with 23″85, seventh the other Italian at the start, Sara Curtis, with 23″87. Sofia Morini was eighth in the 200 freestyle final with a time of 1’54″17, and finally the women’s 4X100 mixed relay (Sara Curtis, Benedetta Pilato, Elena Capretta, Sofia Morini) finished sixth with 3’50″56. “The young people amazed, they behaved as experts and won an important role in this national team,” the assessment of dt Cesare Butini. “I have to thank the team,” he added, “starting with the athletes, the medical staff, the coaches, and then the federation that gave us the opportunity to convene these young people. This is a national team that will have to walk and struggle a lot to keep up with the world. We have seen the performances, we will give it our all.”
– photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
Mora silver and 4×100 mixed bronze, Italnuoto from 9 at Worlds
