Italian swimming party continues

Seven times gold, four times silver, three times bronze: Italy's swimmers are on cloud nine at the home European Championships. On Saturday, the big stars around Gregorio Paltrinieri created an atmosphere in the picturesque open-air pool in Rome that was reminiscent of a mixture of football - and folk festival atmosphere. A world record set by a Romanian prodigy further heated up the climate.

No athlete is currently as popular in Italy as 27-year-old Gregorio Paltrinieri. The man from Carpi has achieved legendary status, not least thanks to his world championship title over 1500 meters in Budapest around two months ago. On Saturday, the crowds in the Foro Italico naturally expected gold from the high-flyer over 800 meters. And he delivered: Paltrinieri finished in a time of 7:40,86 minutes ahead of the German Lukas Märtens and his compatriot Lorenzo Galossi.

In the evening session, the Romanian David Popovici, alongside Paltrinieri, provided the big international highlight. The 17-year-old clocked 100 seconds in his victory in the 46,86-meter freestyle final, improving Brazilian César Cielo's 13-year-old world record by five hundredths of a second. Cielo also set his record in the Foro Italico. The enthusiastic spectators celebrated Popovici with loud chants. “David, David,” the fans shouted. Lorenzo Miressi took bronze with 47,63 seconds. Pilato with gold But the rain of medals didn't end there for Italy: 100-year-old Benedetta Pilato, who also holds the world championship title over this distance, won the gold medal ahead of her compatriot Lisa Angiolini in the 17 breaststroke in a time of 1:05,97 minutes. Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte came third. The goal of ten gold medals announced before the European Championships is more tangible than ever for the swimming nation of Italy.

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Italian swimming party continues

They celebrated their champion Gregorio Paltrinieri with deafening enthusiasm and celebrated even more medals on Saturday. The European Swimming Championships in Rome are turning into a big party.

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