Pilato, De Tullio, Toma and Tarantino aim for the World Cup: the Apulian "arms" veer towards Singapore

After three intense days of competition, the Internazionali d'Italia, Trofeo Settecolli, are archived under a good auspice for Italian swimming in view of the next important event at the end of July, the World Championships in swimming, water polo, artistic swimming, diving and high diving scheduled in Singapore. Apulian swimming comes out strengthened with two prestigious victories in the bag, thanks to Marco De Tullio gold in the 400 freestyle, Federica Toma, gold in the 50 backstroke and Benedetta Pilato, undisputed queen in the 50 breaststroke, in addition to the silver of Luca De Tullio in the 800 freestyle. Also worth noting is the massive presence of athletes from Puglia in all the finals held over the three days at the Stadio del Nuoto in Rome, not only the established athletes who orbit in the galaxy of the absolute national team like Chiara Tarantino, the only one at the moment to have a certain place in the world 4 x 100 freestyle relay, but also and above all the new talents who still live and train in our region, thanks to teams that invest in the territory and to a technical sector that is always at the forefront nationally.

From Foggia to Lecce, passing through Bari and Taranto, the swimming movement is always in constant ferment and the generational turnover is growing and making proselytes among the new generations, above all Rachele Romanazzi of the Sports And Events team of Bari in the 200 backstroke, Maurizio Ciuffreda from Pentotary Foggia in the 200 butterfly and Alessia Loconsole of Mediterraneo Sport of Taranto in the 200 breaststroke. The technical director Cesare Butini now has the task of building the team that will fly to Asia and, since none of our athletes qualified in April, he will have to make careful choices to bring the best representatives to ensure that Italy swims the leading role that it has carved out for itself over the years on the international stage.

"The performances were good from everyone - Butini declared at the end of the event - in view of the world championships we will carry out evaluations to complete the national team. We will certainly present a competitive team, knowing that we are working above all for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics: the four-year period has just begun. Many young people are showing off and it is an excellent indication. In the 200 freestyle, however, I expected something more from the others in view of the relay but it is a period of loading for many athletes - even if with the times swum by Marco de Tullio one of the places in the men's sector seems assured -. The first national team of the new four-year period will therefore be born with a combination of established champions and young people on the launch pad".

The host was the president of the Italian Swimming Federation Paolo Barelli. "The Foro Italico is an extraordinary sports habitat, envied all over the world. The swimming pool of the Stadio del Nuoto is considered the most beautiful ever by everyone: managers, athletes and international technicians. The Settecolli Trophy is an event of sporting excellence: we host about 800 athletes from 32 countries, including 30 Olympic and world medalists, including for the first time athletes from the Russian federation, who compete individually, with the necessary authorizations from the IOC and the international federations, athletes who had not competed in an open-air pool for over three years".

Together with Barelli, the new president of CONI Luciano Buonfiglio, who chose the Settecolli trophy as the first event to attend: «Being here with Paolo Barelli and Federnuoto, which has always been one of the federations with the most medals and social commitment, is a wonderful start. Rewarding the athletes is an honor that moves me. At the center of our interests, not just in words, must be the athletes». It was also an occasion for the announcement of the «Swimming Coach of the Year for 2024» award, which went to Marco Giovanni Pedoja, a finalist for the third time, until last December the technical guide of the Olympic champion in the 100 breaststroke Nicolò Martinenghi; Pedoja won the award named after Alberto Castagnetti, now in its tenth edition, with 50% of the votes, against 35% for Alberto Burlina, who today coaches Chiara Tarantino, and 15% for Fabrizio Antonelli, coach of Domenico Acerenza and Luca De Tullio.