The cover of the first day of 54th edition of Trofeo Sette Colli is for Nicolò Martinenghi who continues to shine, establishing the Italian record (absolute, second division and juniores) in 100m-breaststroke with 59''31. Eleven hundredths less than 59”42 swum by Fabio Scozzoli on 25th July 2011 winning the silver medal in the World Championships in Shangai. The athlete of Marco Pedoja – member of NC Brebbia – passes at 50m in 27”54, following the Olympic, World and European champion Adam Peaty closing the race with 58”72, the record time of the event (the previous time of 59”63 was reached by the Lithuanian Giedrius Titenis in 2016). “I didn’t expect the Italian record – Martinenghi says – the hard training has given its fruits: I broke my limits. The ambient of Stadio del Nuoto gives unique energies”. The 17-years-old swimmer from Varese establishes also the Young World and European record. The eleven finals in programme reserve other red circles. Simona Quadarella wins in 1500m-freestyle with 16'03"55. In the middle of the competition, the success of Federica Pellegrini in 200m-freestyle with 1'56"16 and Gabriele Detti ranks second in 400m-freestyle with 3'45"88.
Quadarella, a Roman doc, wins in 1500m-freestyle with the second Italian time in tissue, and record of the event. The student – who the last days made the Italian and Maths tests at scientific high school – rises the National rankings and she is behind the time of 15'52''84 reached by Alessia Filippi on 16th July 2008, breaking the previous event limit of 16'05''62 reached by the Danish Lotte Friis.
Pure show in 400m-freestyle won by the South Korean Tae-Hwan Park in 3'44"54 (gold medal in Olympic Games in Beijing 2008 and in the World Championships in Melbourne 2007 and Shangai 2011, but then found doping positive). Behind him, the European and bronze medal Olympic champion Gabriele Detti (Esercito/SMGM Team Lombardia), ranking second with 3'45''88, even if he passes first at 200m with 1'52''21. The Italian record holder – trained by the Federal technician and his uncle Stefano Morini at the Federal Centre in Ostia together with Gregorio Paltrinieri – is ahead the Olympic Australian champion Mack Horton with 3'47''58.
Then the proscenium is all for Federica Pellegrini. The athlete ranks first in 200m-freestyle with 1'56''16. The last 50m are difficult for the 28-years-old swimmer from Spinea – trained by Federico Giunta – making up for delay of one second behind the Sweden Michelle Coleman (at the 150m the Sweden passes with 1'26''07, while the Italian swimmer passes with 1'27''07) and then she goes faster the last ten meters.
The afternoon session starts with 50m-backstroke. The Australian Holly Barrett ranks first with 27''57 establishing the event record, breaking the time of 27''67 reached by the Canadian Kylie Masse in 2016. The Brazilian Etiene Medeiros ranks second with 27''82 and the Czech Simona Baumrtova ranks third with 27''89. Double Hungarian victory among males athletes: the European silver champion Richard Bohus shines with 25''04 ahead Gabor Balog ranking second with 25'12. The 28-years-old Roman Matteo Milli ranks third. The athlete of Alfredo Caspoli – member of SMGM Team Lombardia – ranks third with 25''21, his personal record breaking the time of 25''23 of two hundredths swum in morning session. The Hungarian Boglarka Kapas, European gold medal in London 2016 and second time in heat, wins in 400m-freestyle with 4'06''05, ahead the Canadian Mary-Sophie Harvey with 4'09''78 and Australian Jessica Ashwood with 4'10''85. Martina De Memme (Esercito/Nuoto Livorno) ranks seventh with 4'16''03. The British Siobahn-Marie O'Connor wins in female 100m-breaststroke with 1'07''35; Martina Carraro ranks second. The Italian record holder – trained by Fabrizio Bastelli and member of NC Azzurra 91 – swims in 1'07''74, two hundredths ahead the British Sarah Vasey ranking third.
The Dutch Ranomi Kromowidjojo confirms herself in 50m-butterfly. The 27-years-old swimmer, of Suriname origin, shines with 25''59, third World seasonal performance (after the 25''72 reached in heat). She ranks behind the Japanese Ikee Rikako (25''51) and the World and Olympic gold Sarah Sjostrom (24''76 reached the last 14th June in Barcelona). Holly Barratt and Maaike De Waard complete the podium with 25''91 and 26''11, respectively.
The third event record of the 54th Trofeo Sette Colli is broken in 100m-butterfly by the South African Chad Le Clos, World champion in Kazan 2015 and silver gold medalist in Olympic Games in Rio. He fixes the record of 51''65 breaking the time of 52''14 reached by the Australian Andrew Lauterstein. Two Italian swimmers behind the athlete of the Italian coach Andrea Di Nino: Piero Codia (Esercito/CC Aniene) ranks second with 51''93 and Matteo Rivolta (Fiamme Oro) ranks third with 52''30.
The Brazilian Bruno Fratus, bronze medalist in 2015, is the fastest swimmer in men 50m-freesyle with 21''86, ahead the British Ben Proud (21''95), one hundredth ahead the Australian Cameron McEvoy.