Italy closes with three bronzes on the last day of the World Swimming Championships

The curtain falls on the World Swimming Championships in Doha and Italy is smiling: 12 medals were won by the Azzurri (three more than in Budapest 2022, the edition in which it had climbed the podium the most times) with Simona Quadarella who, with her two gold medals in the 1500 and 800 style è the real queen of the Italian expedition to Qatar. The last day in the pool saw Italy win three bronze medals, in the 50 breaststroke with Benedetta Pilato, in the 400 medley with a surprising Sara Franceschi and in the men’s 4×100 medley relay.

Benedetta Pilato took bronze in her 50 breaststroke, confirming her place on a rainbow podium from which she has è never been off since è in the national team. “A medal is always needed – smiles Benny, today called to the double commitment with the evening mixed relay that closes in sixth place – I am happy for the medal, forò I am sorry becauseé this is not è the best version of myself”. Pilato, after Federica Pellegrini (10) and Simona Quadarella (7), è became the third Italian to collect at least five individual podiums in the World Long Tub Championships.

A battery to save energy and a night to frame, loaded with revenge against bad luck. Sara Franceschi signs the feat you don’t expect and from lane 8 wins a crazy bronze, surprising opponents and moving her father and coach Stefano, who from the side of the pool seems to believe his eyes, and puts the Olympic pass in her pocket. A medal, against adversity, that of the multi-talented often stopped by injuries, the last one in October, in the moments when she had to take off and now she has done it in Qatar.

The gold è by Britain’s Freya Colbert and the silver by Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko, who was then booed by the audience both at the time of poolside interviews and after the award ceremony. “I dedicate this medal to my grandfather Claudio, who è passed away exactly one year ago, and to my father Stefano who è always been close to me and who believed in me even in the difficult moments – Franceschi says – È an incredible medal, unexpected because I went through a not easy autumn. È also came the Olympic pass and ciò allows me to be moreù serene”. For Italnuoto è the second medal in the specialty and the second bronze: the first was won by Novella Calligaris in Belgrade 1973.

A bit of justifiable fatigue and a backstroke not as incisive as on recent occasions for Alberto Razzetti fifth in the 400 medley, after silver in the 200 butterfly and third place in the 200 medley for a top World Championship. “I was really tired today,” Razzetti commented, “I tried to surprise the opponents in the side lane but I didn&#39t succeed. Too bad, becauseé I did not even go very far from third place. All in all, I am happy: a fifth place in the world championship. Busy week, positive balance sheet. I swam beyond my expectations. I am satisfied”.

The certainty of the Olympic Card in the morning and a sparkling bronze in the afternoon. The mixed 4×100 did not disappoint expectations and climbed to the lowest step of the podium, returning there after the gold of Budapest 2022, dragged by two champions and galvanized by two youngsters swimming in 3’31″59. Ahead were only the United States in 3’29″80 and the Netherlands in 3’31″23. Of the highest level was the final of the Italians. Michele Lamberti (54″28) changes to the sixth place; Nicolò Martienghi inserts the turbo (57″97) and goes up to the third; position that maintain a surprising Gianmarco Sansone (52″14) and Alessandro Miressi (47″20) that thanks to a last fifty in 25″19 also caresses the possible overtaking on the Dutch.