Federica Pellegrini Moving to Paris

ROME, Italy, January 18. THE AFP is reporting that Olympic champion Federica Pellegrini is moving from Italy to Paris to train under coach Philippe Lucas after a monthlong negotiation between the coach and the Italian swimming federation.

Pellegrini pursued Lucas' guidance after a subpar 2010, in which she led the world in the 200 long course freestyle at the European championships, but did not swim well the rest of the year. Since late 2009, Pellegrini had been training under Stefano Morini, who was an assistant coach for Alberto Castagnetti, Pellegrini's longtime coach who died in October 2009.

Lucas was the guiding force behind Pellegrini rival Laure Manaudou's Olympic success in 2004 and subsequent world championship titles in 2005 and 2007. Manaudou is now training in the United States at Auburn University. Lucas currently trains such swimmers as sprinter Amaury Leveaux and backstroker Jeremy Stravius.

Pellegrini is scheduled to begin training in Paris on January 31, according the AFP., because her current home in Verona, Italy, has no 50-meter pool.

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