{"id":113596,"date":"2014-11-05T07:54:34","date_gmt":"2014-11-05T14:54:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=113596"},"modified":"2015-08-24T07:44:19","modified_gmt":"2015-08-24T14:44:19","slug":"natalie-coughlin-ryan-lochte-gear-bolzano-international-swim-meet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/natalie-coughlin-ryan-lochte-gear-bolzano-international-swim-meet\/","title":{"rendered":"Natalie Coughlin, Ryan Lochte Gear Up For Bolzano International Swim Meet"},"content":{"rendered":"

BOLZANO – Natalie Coughlin and Ryan Lochte are set to compete at the Bolzano International Swim Meet this weekend on Nov. 8-9. Some of the top talent from around Europe will be in place at the always fun competition.<\/p>\n

“Ryan Lochte is without doubt the exceptional all-rounder par excellence in the actual international swimming\u00a0scene. It is a great honor for us to have him at our swimmeeting. The fact that Natalie Coughlin comes to\u00a0Bolzano for the fourth time, is a further proof that our event has a good name around the world,” said OC-chief\u00a0Mattivi Christian, who has done once again a great job with his team.<\/p>\n

But the Swimmeeting South Tyrol has\u00a0much more to offer. Many top swimmers from Italy like Marco Orsi, Fabio Scozzoli, Erika Ferraioli, Silvia Di\u00a0Pietro and last but not least Elena Di Liddo have opted for Bolzano. We shall not forget the local stars Lisa Fissneider\u00a0and Laura Letrari, whose target is not only to impress Bolzano by their best side, but also to qualify for the\u00a0Short Course World Championships in Doha, that takes place in early December. The Bolzano meeting is also\u00a0for the Deibler brothers (world record holder Steffen and Markus) a good opportunity to review their form for\u00a0the oncoming event in the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n

The most important swimming event in the Alps was presented today at the headquarter of the technical sponsor\u00a0“Speedo” in Bolzano. The Stars Lochte and Coughlin sat peacefully side by side, along with Amanda Weir from\u00a0the US and local hero Lisa Fissneider. Coughlin has already been in Bolzano, Lochte is in Bolzano for the first time.<\/p>\n

Ryan Lochte, Natalie Coughlin in Bolzano<\/h2>\n

Ryan Lochte doesn\u2019t need much presentation, after leading for over a decade the swimming world, winning\u00a0eleven Olympic medals, including 5 at the Olympic Games two years ago in London, 35-time World Champion\u00a0titles, holding five world records for a total of no less than 77 medals, including 49 gold at major international\u00a0events.<\/p>\n

After 2010, 2011 and 2013 Natalie Coughlin returns for the fourth time back to Bolzano. She has decided to\u00a0continue her career up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio (at least over 50 and 100 m freestyle). She too has\u00a0won everything there is to win in her career and is one of the most successful swimmers ever. At the Olympic\u00a0Games in London, she has conquered her twelfth Olympic medal (bronze with the freestyle relay).<\/p>\n

Other International Stars<\/h2>\n

The US-American Amanda Weir, who has won three Olympic medals in her career with the relay and 23\u00a0medals at major events. The Russian Arkady Vyatchanin, one of the best backstroke swimmer in the world. He\u00a0also worn has Olympic bronze around his neck, twice (Beijing 2008), he is three times Vice-World Champion\u00a0and seven times European champion.<\/p>\n

The Italian Swimworld is led by Fabio Scozzoli again after a year break, followed by Marco Orsi and Andrea\u00a0Toniato, as well as Federico Bocchia and Marco Bellotti. In the women field, the eyes of the home audience\u00a0are of course primarily focused on Lisa Fissneider and Laura Letrari. Since the beginning of this season the 20\u00a0and the 25-year-old train in Bolzano and will have strong competitors. Fissneider will duell over 50 and 100 m\u00a0breaststroke against Giulia De Ascentis. Katie Meili from the USA, who has managed the previous years\u00a0breast-double, is back. Letrari is going for a close race over 50 m back with Erika Ferraioli and over 50 m fly.\u00a0Silvia Di Pietro and Elena Di Liddo are her fiercest rivals, but the greatest chance to gain a World Cup ticket is over 100 m IM.<\/p>\n