Time to take stock in Italy at the end of the European Artistic Swimming Championships in Belgrade. In the swimming pool Sports Center Milan Gale Muškatirovic, the continental review was inevitably conditioned by proximity to Paris 2024 Olympics. As regards the Italian team, Patrizia Giallombardo has focused on a mix of experience and youthperfectly summarized by Giorgio Minisini and Filippo Pelati.
It was intended to be a competition with a sense of redemption for the Golden Boy. Minisini had to accept the exclusion of Giallombardo from the team that will be at the starting line of the Cinque Cerchi event. The absence of the technical and free mixed doubles and the men’s singles routines in the Olympic program had led the Technical Director to make some difficult decisions.
The blue, however, did not have the satisfaction he so desired, not reconfirming the Rome gold medals in the singles that he expected. The regulatory change in terms of judging and the nightmare of base marks influenced Minisini’s progress in the water. At the end of the fair, they received a bronze in the technical and a silver in the free, with a decidedly bitter aftertaste.
“I don’t know what to say, I’m certainly disappointed with the result – said Minisini in the words collected by FIN – What I have always liked about sport is that everyone gives their all and then there are those who do well and those who do less well but now, regardless of what you have done, you have to deal with the base marks. I’m super happy to see how much the men’s artistic swimming movement is growing, but I think we also need a clearer parameter on which to base ourselves to truly understand what we do in the water“, added the local athlete.
However, Italy ended its experience with 4 silvers and 3 bronzes and a significant contribution was made by a 17 year old, a native of Ferrara, who could make people talk about him. We are referring to the aforementioned Filippo Pelati, capable of winning two silver medals in the two routines of the mixed doubles (the technical with Sarah Maria Rizea, while the free with Flaminia Vernice). A very young athlete, who has already highlighted himself at youth level with a gold in free solo at the Youth World Championships in Athens (Greece) last year and a success in the same specialty at the Eurojuniors in Funchal (Portugal) last season.
Joan Burlando, coach of the national team, described him as a boy who learns quickly, especially when he makes mistakes in his performances. A continuous search for perfection which can certainly create a good basis for the future.
