Under a blazing Roman sun, the curtain rises on the 61st edition of the Settecolli Trophy IP – International Swimming Meet, running until Saturday, June 28 at the Stadio del Nuoto in the heart of the Foro Italico.
The morning heats were immediately electric, especially in the 100m backstroke, packed with big names. Russian Pavel Samusenko set the pace with a time of 54.48. However, the final promises to be a thrilling showdown, as Christian Bacico and Olympic champion Thomas Ceccon are expected to step up after a morning of strategic pacing. The 20-year-old from Como, registered with Esercito and Como Nuoto Recoaro, coached by Verika Scorza (bronze at the 2023 World Junior Championships in Netanya), finished fourth in 54.59, with a strong final split of 27.97. In contrast, the 24-year-old from Schio, registered with Fiamme Oro and Leosport and coached by Alberto Burlina at the Federal Center in Verona, placed fifth in 54.64, speeding through the first half in 26.39 but deliberately holding back in the second (28.25), still a way off his world record of 51.60 set at the 2022 Budapest World Championships. Both Italians were out-touched by Swiss Roman Miyukov (Olympic bronze in the 200m), who finished in 54.55, just two hundredths ahead of Greek Olympic silver medalist in the 200m, Apostolos Christou, who took third in 54.57 after his European gold in the 50m and silver in the 100m backstroke at Rome 2022.
In the women’s 50m backstroke, British world bronze medalist Lauren Cox led the way with 28.18. Italians Federica Toma and Francesca Pasquino impressed in second and third. Toma, 23, from Salento, registered with Carabinieri and In Sport Rane Rosse and coached by Mauro Borgia, clocked 28.13, while Pasquino, 22, from Turin, registered with In Sport Rane Rosse and coached by Riccardo Bianchessi, finished in 28.54.
Marco De Tullio, in peak physical shape and hungry for redemption after a couple of subdued seasons, topped the 400m freestyle in 3:48.71. The 25-year-old from Bari, registered with CC Aniene and coached by Gianluca Belfiore since September (fifth at the 2022 Budapest World Championships), was followed by Germany’s Florian Wellbrock (Olympic bronze in the 1500m and gold in the 10km open water at Tokyo 2020) in 3:49.46 and Rome’s Davide Marchello, registered with Esercito and Aurelia Nuoto and coached by Fabrizio Antonelli at the Ostia Federal Center, in 3:51.15. Notable performances also came from Matteo Lamberti (Carabinieri/GAM Team), fourth in 3:51.26, and Italian record holder Gabriele Detti (Esercito/In Sport Rane Rosse), who secured a spot in the A final with the sixth-best time of 3:51.43.
In the women’s 200m freestyle, British world champion in the 400m IM Freya Colbert led the field in 1:59.41. Close behind was Tuscany’s Matilde Biagiotti (Fiamme Oro/RN Florentia) in 1:59.64. Also among the top eight were Bianca Nannucci (RN Florentia) in 1:59.93, Anna Chiara Mascolo (Carabinieri/H. Sport) in 2:00.00, Giulia D’Innoncenzo (Carabinieri/CC Aniene) in 2:00.05, and Emma Virginia Menicucci (Esercito/CC Aniene) in 2:00.17.
The 100m breaststroke lived up to its billing as a spectacle, delivering drama and emotion from the heats. Ludovico Blu Art Viberti roared to the fastest time, confirming his strong connection with the Stadio del Nuoto. The 23-year-old from Piedmont, registered with CN Torino, coached by Antonio Satta and son of Giorgio, a legendary La Stampa journalist, swam 59.97—the only man under one minute in the morning, with a solid split of 28.15. Close behind were Japan’s Yu Hanaguruma in 1:00.06 and Italian record holder (58.26) and Olympic champion Nicolò Martinenghi in 1:00.07. The 26-year-old from Varese, registered with CC Aniene, coached since January by Matteo Giunta (after rising to prominence under Marco Pedoja), went out fast in 28.21 and returned in a controlled 31.86, suggesting he’s not yet at his peak after a recent high-altitude camp in Livigno. Alessandro Pinzuti (Esercito/In Sport Rane Rosse) impressed with the fifth-best time of 1:00.14, while Simone Cerasuolo (Fiamme Oro/Imolanuoto) was seventh in 1:00.52.
Anglophone swimmers dominated the women’s 100m breaststroke. England’s Angharad Evans led in 1:06.83, followed by Ireland’s Mona Mc Sharry in 1:07.05. Lisa Angiolini (Carabinieri/Virtus Buonconvento), already qualified for the Singapore World Championships, finished eighth in 1:08.73.
Noé Ponti impressed in the 100m butterfly. The 22-year-old Swiss from Locarno, European silver medalist in Rome 2022 and Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo 2020, posted the meet’s best time of 50.40, 0.49 seconds faster than Hungary’s Kristof Milak’s 2021 mark of 50.89. Ponti is the clear favorite for the final, but behind him, Federico Burdisso shone again. The 24-year-old from Pavia, registered with Esercito and European bronze medalist in the 200m at Glasgow 2018, swam 51.84 with a tactical twist: a conservative first 50m (24.51) and a strong finish (27.33). The Italian butterfly specialist emerged from the water smiling after a season of change and his September decision to return to Gubbio with his longtime coach Simone Palombi, who guided him to Olympic bronze in Tokyo 2020.
Retirement is the last thing on Silvia Di Pietro’s mind. The 32-year-old Roman, registered with Carabinieri and CC Aniene and coached by Mirko Nozzolillo (thirty medals between World and European Championships), claimed the top spot in the 50m butterfly, thrilling the crowd with her grit and class. She clocked 26.04, not far from her Italian record of 25.78 set at the 2014 European Championships in Berlin. The Roman sprinter finished ahead of Germany’s Angelina Koelher (world champion in the 100m at Doha 2024) in 26.10 and Greece’s Anna Ntountounaki in 26.23. Also advancing were Viola Scotto di Carlo (Napoli Nuoto) in 26.34 and Costanza Cocconcelli (Fiamme Gialle/NC Azzurra 91) in 26.55.
The men’s 50m freestyle final is shaping up to be a high-level contest. British Olympic silver medalist Benjamin Proud set the fastest time in 21.90, two hundredths ahead of Serbia’s Andrej Barna (21.92) and five ahead of Russia’s Andrey Minakov (21.95). Italians Leonardo Deplano (Carabinieri/CC Aniene), Lorenzo Zazzeri (Esercito/RN Florentia), and Manuel Frigo (Fiamme Oro/Team Veneto) also made the top eight, finishing sixth, seventh, and eighth in 22.23, 22.26, and 22.38 respectively.
The action returns to the pool at 18:00 for the finals, broadcast live on Rai 2, with the pre-show starting at 17:15 featuring Massimiliano Rosolino and Filippo Magnini. The event can also be streamed live on the Italian Swimming Federation’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
