Alessandro Miressi Wins 100 Free & Chiara Tarantino Goes Second Italian All-Time
Alessandro Miressi and Chiara Tarantino were among the winners as they claimed their respective 100m freestyle crowns at the Italian Olympic trials in Riccione.
The meet represents the third stage of Olympic qualification for the Italian team following last November’s Italian Open and the Doha World Championships.
Should any slots remain after this week’s meet, then there will be a final chance to qualify at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome in June.
Three weeks on from claiming silver behind brand new world record-holder Pan Zhanle at Doha 2024, Miressi went 48.37 to take the 100 free title.
The Italian record holder (47.45) – who had already punched his ticket in the 100 free for Paris – led home Paolo Conte Bonin (48.67) and Leonardo Deplano (48.70).
Deplano, however, has assured himself of a place in the 4×100 free come the Olympics thanks to a 48.09 prelim swim, adding to his spot on the 50 free.
Tarantino moved second in the all-time Italian rankings in the women’s 100 free in 54.05.
Ahead of her is Federica Pellegrini with Tarantino’s time matching the five-time Olympian’s 19th-best effort from the 2018 Sette Colli, the rankings topped by her Italian record of 53.18 dating back to 2016.
It was a personal best for Tarantino who surpassed her 54.13 from the 2022 European Championships and sees her leapfrog Silvia Di Pietro in the Italian standings.
Sara Curtis: Photo Courtesy: Istvan Derencsenyi/LEN
Sara Curtis – who set an Italian junior 50 back record earlier in the meet – replicated that feat in the 100 free.
The European junior champion over 50 free went inside 55secs for the first time in 54.31 to slice 0.09 from Pellegrini’s mark from March 2004.
Sofia Morini, winner of the 200 free, was third in 54.92.
Fiamme Oro set an Italian club record of 3:33.95 in the men’s medley relay.
The quartet comprised Thomas Ceccon (53.49), Simone Cerasuolo (59.40), Miressi (52.91) and Conte Bonin (48.15).
The women were not to be outdone with Fiamme Gialle also posting a club mark of 3:58.70.
Led off by Silvia Scalia in 1:01.27, Arianna Castiglioni (1:06.09), Costanza Cocconcelli (57.56) and Tarantino (53.78) combined to write a line in the history books.
Elsewhere, Luca De Tullio added the 800 to his 400 free title in 7:49.01 and Alessandro Tredici won the 200IM in 1:59.94 in the absence of the already-qualified Alberto Razzetti.
Sara Franceschi clinched the medley double by winning the women’s 200IM in 2:11.29 and Simona Quadarella was the only woman inside 16mins in the 1500 in 15:58.48.
Athletes qualified for Paris 2024
Gregorio Paltrinieri in the 1500m and 800m freestyle
Alberto Razzetti in the 200m, 400m medley and 200m butterfly
Thomas Ceccon in the 100m backstroke
Benedetta Pilato in the 100m breaststroke
Alessandro Miressi in the 100m freestyle
Nicolò Martinenghi in the 100m breaststroke
Simona Quadarella in the 1500m and 800m freestyle
Manuel Frigo 4x100m freestyle
Lorenzo Zazzeri in the 50m freestyle
Sara Franceschi in the 400m medley
Lisa Angiolini in the 100m breaststroke
Leonardo Deplano in the 50m freestyle and in the 4x100m freestyle
Filippo Megli 4x200m freestyle