Italian
In the first final of the European Swimming Championships in Paris, Italy immediately wins gold in the mixed team diving event
PARIS (FRANCE) – When we say to start with a bang. There were high expectations for the Italian diving team at this edition of the European Swimming Championships. But even just thinking about winning the gold medal right in the first final of the day might have been too much even for the most optimistic.
Instead, Chiara Pellacani, Matteo Santoro, Sarah Jodoin Di Maria, and the debutant Raffaele Pelligra succeed in achieving a remarkable 410.60 points, beating Russia still under a neutral flag (385.80) and Ukraine (368.20).
In the first round, they open with the three-meter individual springboard Chiara Pellecani who scores 69.75 points with the forward three and a half and Matteo Santoro who gains 63 with the backward three and a half. Italy thus ranks second with 132.75 behind Nab with 152.30.
In the second round, it’s time for the mixed synchronized three meters. The two Italians perform the double and a half back dive, earning another 66 points. The Russians, however, are not clean in the synchro, allowing Italy to gain 15 points (203.30 to 198.75).
The third event is the ten-meter diving board. Sarah Jodoin Di Maria earns 72 points for her vertical dive, then Raffaele Pelligra impresses with an excellent triple and a half reverse dive, receiving a score of 74.25 points. The Azzurri take the lead and maintain it thanks to the mixed synchro event, where with a double and a half backward dive with a twist, they achieve 65.60 points, enough to stay ahead and win the first gold of the competition.
The statements
At the end of the competition, Chiara Pellacani comments: “This is what we wanted. We are proud and happy.” Then it’s the turn of Matteo Santoro: “We are very united. We play and joke a lot together and this is perhaps our secret. I am also learning to manage my emotions.” Sarah Jodoin Di Maria: “We are very happy with the result and how we performed. We all made great dives.” The closing remarks come from the seventeen-year-old debutant with the senior National Team Raffaele Pelligra: “I’m happy with how it went. This is a completely different and more satisfying experience. I managed to handle my emotions.”
Photo by Andrea Staccioli and Andrea Masini / DBM
