The first day of the 52nd trofeo Settecolli Clear, in programme to Sunday at the Stadio del Nuoto at Foro Italico, sees an European and an Italian record passed. The world two-champion Sweden Sarah Sjoestroem wins the 100m-butterfly final with 56''04 (26"41 intermediate time), improving her previous European record of 56''06 swum in the Capital on 27th July 2009 at the World Championships with six hundredths behind the world record reached by the American Olympic champion Dana Vollmer; this time is also the best world seasonal performance. Behind her, Elena Di Liddo (CC Aniene) with an interesting 57"75, sixth world seasonal time at two hundredths to her personal record. Then Sarah Sjoestroem reconfirms in 50m-freestyle with 24''44, third best seasonal European and sixth World performance.
Previously, Elena Gemo (Forestale / CC Aniene) won in 50m-backstroke final, establishing the Italian and competition record with 28''07, breaking the record swum at the World Championships in Rome 2009. The performance of Gemo could be important for her convocation to the next World Championships in Kazan. The French Olympic champion Florent Manadou breaks another record of the competition, winning in 50m-freestyle with 21''64, passing the time of 21''80, reached in 2013.
The male 50m-backstroke is won by the Azzurro Niccolò Bonacchi with 25''16, three hundredths ahead the transalpine Camille Lacourt, already World champion and known, to female audience, because he was also defined as the most beautiful athlete at the Olympic Games in London 2012. The French Balmy, wins in 400m-freestyle final with 4'05''26 ahead Diletta Carli with 4'05''49. This is her best personal time, showing that she is the second Italian performer of all times behind Federica Pellegrini. The time reached by Carli climbs the International seasonal rankings, becoming the seventh in the world and forth in Europe.
The Hungarian Peter Bernek wins in 400m-freestyle with 3'48"83; the best Italian is Samuel Pizzetti (Carabinieri / Nuotatori Milanesi), ranking forth with 3'53''20.
Victory of the Lithuanian superstar Ruta Meilutyte in 100m-breaststroke with 1'05''68, in according to her best world seasonal time of 1'05"46; behind her, the Sweden Jennie Johansson with 1'07"19 and Ilaria Scarcella (CC Aniene) with 1'08"02.
The male 100m-breaststroke is won by the Lithuanian Giedrius Titenis with 1'00"10, ahead the south-African Olympic champion Cameron Van Der Burgh, world silver medalist, with 1'00"77.
Already sure about his pass towards the World competition in Kazan, the Azzurro Matteo Rivolta wins the 100m-butterfly with 52"30, ahead Piero Codia (Esercito / CC Aniene) with 52"35, at 19 hundredths to his personal time.
At the end of the day, Gregorio Paltrinieri reconfirms at top level in 800m-freestyle with a very good 7'52''35 swum after a long training in mountain. In female 1500m, Martina Rita Caramignoli, European bronze, ranks second with 16'12''44 behind the Hungarian Boglarka Kapas, who wins with 16'09"48. Kazan is closer than it seems.