Male Breakout Swimmer Of The Year: Back To The Future For Thomas Ceccon
After Thomas Ceccon set the 100-meter backstroke world record in June, four-time Olympic champion Ryan Murphy gave a tip of the hat, described the Italian as “incredible” and quickly turned his attention to Paris 2024.
Ceccon is one of a number of young European men who are threatening the world order across a number of disciplines.
To Ceccon, add David Popovici, Leon Marchand and Kristof Milak, plus his Italian teammates Nicolo Martinenghi, Alessandro Miressi and Lorenzo Zazzeri among many.
Coming into 2022 with Olympic and European relay medals, Ceccon’s star has subsequently risen on the sharpest of trajectories.
Fourth in the 100 back at the Tokyo Olympics behind the Russian duo Evgeny Rylov and Kliment Kolesnikov with Murphy in bronze, Ceccon arrived in Budapest with an Italian record of 52.30 and a bushy moustache……
By the time he left the Hungarian capital, the 21-year-old had reduced it to 51.60, slicing an almighty 0.25 from Murphy’s WR of 51.85 which had stood since Rio 2016.
Thomas Ceccon: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Murphy led at halfway only for Ceccon to produce a second lap 0.49 quicker than the American whose 51.97 was quicker than Rylov’s winning time in Tokyo.
Murphy acknowledged the magnitude of the Italian’s achievement, saying:
“Thomas is an incredible talent. Hats off to him. That’s a gnarly swim. And some good motivation for the next couple of years.”
There was gold in the men’s medley relay as the Italian quartet equaled the European standard of 3:27.51 set by Britain at the 2020 Games with Ceccon then turning over and freestyling his way to bronze in the men’s 4×100 at the Duna Arena.
A home Europeans followed in front of a vocal, passionate crowd at the Foro Italico. The fans saw Ceccon become the first Italian man to win the 100 back title – one of four golds that also included the 50 fly and 4×100 free relay.
Versatility of the highest order that was once more underlined at the short-course worlds where he won the 100IM among three golds and a six-strong medal haul.
It has been an incredible year for Ceccon who turns 22 in January and whose performances beget many questions during the run-up to Paris.
Should the ban on Russian and Belarussian athletes remain, then there’ll be no Rylov or Kolesnikov in France and it would appear to be a shootout between Murphy and Ceccon for gold.
Should they return, it will change the dynamic both in the water and on poolside, Murphy having claimed the 200 back in Tokyo wasn’t clean although stopping short of accusing Rylov of doping.
In Budapest the American also acknowledged the impact on Ukrainian athletes competing there following the Russian invasion.
Ceccon’s emergence at the head of the top table has also added a new dynamic to the men’s medley relay.
Thomas Ceccon: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Britain has dominated European waters in recent years with four straight continental titles and world gold in 2019.
The USA set a WR of 3:26.78 in Tokyo ahead of Britain and the European record of 3:27.51 with Italy third, 1.66 adrift in a national mark of 3:29.17.
However, Ceccon led off in 52.52 that day with Murphy producing the fastest split of 52.31.
The Italian split 51.93 in Budapest, 0.58 swifter than Murphy, and 1.88secs ahead of Luke Greenbank and although the British team was without Adam Peaty because of injury, the fact remains Italy have turned a 1.66 deficit in Tokyo into a 1.8sec advantage 12 months later.
Ceccon and his young Italian teammates are only going to get better and despite having time on their side, the European and world landscape is already changing.