Gregorio Paltrinieri Goes Top Of 800 Free World Rankings At Italian Championships: National 200IM Record For Sara Franceschi

Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy prepares to compete in the 800m Freestyle Men Final during the FINA Swimming Short Course World Championships at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Melbourne, Australia, December 17th, 2022. Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Gregorio Paltrinieri: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Gregorio Paltrinieri Goes Top Of 800 Free World Rankings At Italian Championships: National 200IM Record For Sara Franceschi

Gregorio Paltrinieri went top of the 800 free rankings and Sara Franceschi set a national 200IM mark of 2:10.05 on day three of the Italian Championships in Riccione.

The championships are the first of two meets where swimmers can book a spot on the team for Fukuoka with the second being the Sette Colli – held at the iconic Foro Italico – in June.

Paltrinieri – who won silver at the Tokyo Olympics when the 16-length event debuted on the men’s programme – led throughout to win in 7:46.47.

The 28-year-old went out in 55.89 (27.30/28.59) and his splits thereafter were metronomic, ranging from 29.06 to 29.66.

The 2019 world champion displaced Dan Jervis at the top of the rankings, the Welshman having gone 7:47.81 at the British Championships.

Paltrinieri was inside the World Aquatics ‘A’ cut as was Michele Lamberti in 7:49.48 for second although neither man made the time for the Italian team.

Franceschi Rewrites History Books; Quadarella Goes 15:53

Sara Franceschi: Photo Courtesy: federnuoto.it

European bronze medallist Franceschi entered the meet with a 200IM best of 2:10.26 at the Sette Colli in 2021.

On Saturday, the 24-year-old split 28.32/33.52/36.94/31.27 to slice 0.20secs from the previous Italian standard of 2:10.25 that had stood to Ilaria Cusinato en-route to European silver in 2018.

Behind her for silver was Anita Gastaldi (2:11.81) with Anna Pirovano taking bronze in 2:13.73.

Franceschi also booked her place on the Italian team for Fukuoka, well inside the qualification time of 2:12.98.

Simona Quadarella was completely dominant as she won the 1500 free in 15:53.29, second in the rankings behind Olympic champion Katie Ledecky and her 15:37.99 at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Knoxville in January.

Quadarella, who won the world title in Gwangju in 2019, added the 1500 to her programme in Fukuoka where she’s already booked a slot in the 800.

She also won the 200 free on Friday.

Chiara Tarantino won the women’s 100 free in 54.40.

Razzetti At The Double

Alberto Razzetti was the only man inside 2mins as he won the 200IM in 1:58.48 to claim his second race at worlds following victory in the 200 fly.

Alessandro Miressi won the 100 free in 48.61 ahead of Leonardo Deplano (48.80) and Giovanni Carraro (48.90).

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