Lisa Angolini is one of the big stars at the Cool Swim Meeting. © www.deepbluemedia.photoshelter.c / Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia /

Italy's Olympic participants come to Meran

There are still a little more than two months left until the big swimming highlight of the summer in South Tyrol. Then the stars of the scene meet in the spa town.

09 April 2024

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As always, the 8th edition of the Cool Swim Meeting Meran will take place in mid-June, more precisely on the weekend from June 14th to 16th there will be world-class athletes to see in the Meran Lido. As always, the Meran meeting is also the dress rehearsal for the “Sette Colli Meeting” from June 21st to 23rd in Rome. In the Foro Italico, the Azzurri's final starting places for the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, which are the big highlight of an intensive year of swimming, will be awarded.

It is already clear that part of the Italian national swimming team will come back to Meran. “The Azzurri are holding a week-long training camp with us from Sunday, June 9th. We'll see who head coach Cesare Butini will call up. Butini himself is a regular guest with us and will also be paying his respects to the Cool Swim Meeting this year,” says OC boss Walter Taranto, who is also president of the South Tyrolean Swimming Association. As always since its premiere in 2016, the international, three-day event is taking place in collaboration between Merano's two swimming clubs, Sportclub and AS Merano Nuoto, which came together eight years ago to bring the great swimming sport to the Passer city.

“Our goal is to have over 700 participants for the first time.” OC boss Walter Taranto

“We don't yet know exactly which of the strong Italians will be here, but I assume that there will be many Olympic participants among them,” says Taranto, who is with his team, especially SCM section leader Gebhard Unterrainer and Marco Giongo , the sporting director of the meeting, has been working since last September to ensure that the event can run perfectly again this year thanks to the many volunteers.

The vice-European champion is coming

The organizers can already announce a big name. Lisa Angiolini, 28 years old and from Poggibonsi in Tuscany and vice-European champion on the long track 2022 in Rome, will be competing in Meran. She has already qualified for the Olympics with her victory at the Italian Indoor Championships in Riccione in March.

“Our goal is to have over 700 participants for the first time. Four regional selections have already confirmed their participation: Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany," says Taranto, "but some prestigious clubs such as Leosport and Livorno Aquatics are also at the start again. Of course, we also hope that South Tyrol's swimming talent Luca Scampicchio from SSV Bozen will take part in the Cool Swim Meeting. He’s currently chasing medals at the Italian Youth Championships.”

The tried and tested program with 5 sections from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon will also be retained this year. Meran is once again a LEN meeting and has had a good name internationally since 2017. At the 2nd edition, Gregorio Paltrinieri and Gabriele Detti made for an unforgettable race in a fantastic duel over the 1500 meter freestyle.