Costantino “Bubi” Dennerlein died in Rome. He would have turned 90 on December 28th. He has been at the helm of Italian swimming for 24 years, forming generations of champions. He was also a teacher of Novella Calligaris. «He was a bit the father of Italian swimming – we read in the condolence note of the federnuoto – he joined his brother Fritz. All movement is more alone. Hi Bubi ».
Romanian mother and German father, born in Portici, in the province of Naples, Bubi devoted himself to swimming and water polo: he was the first absolute Italian swimming champion of the Canottieri Napoli, with whom he conquered 10 titles and set 4 national records, he participated in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and won 2 water polo championships, in 1957 and 1958.
But above all he was one of the greatest Italian swimming coaches. He remained in the national team for 24 years, leader of Italian swimming for seven Olympic editions since Rome 1960. His athletes won over 50 Italian titles, including his brother Fritz Dennerlein, water polo artist and excellent swimmer who finished fourth at the 1960 Rome Olympics in the 200 butterfly, he conquered two European bronzes and also set five continental records between 100 and 200 butterfly, and Novella Calligaris, three Olympic medals in Munich 1972 and the world gold world record in the 800 in Belgrade 1973. In the same period, as coach of the men’s water polo team, he won the 1963 championship, the third in the history of CC Napoli, ahead of Pro Recco and Lazio in the standings.