The 19-year-old Italian record holder on Monday morning making his debut in the 200 butterfly, the Japanese idol of the house in his own battery
PAVIA. Federico Burdisso, 19-year-old Italian swimming talent, will be on Monday morning at the starting blocks of the fourth battery of the 200 butterfly: start scheduled for 19.27 time in Tokyo, 12.27 in Italy. The champion from Pavia, a specialist in the 200 butterfly (but who will also compete in the 100 butterfly and in the 4×100 mixed relay in Tokyo) comes to the Games with an excellent time of 1’54 “28, an Italian record: he will swim in the fifth lane, one of the best. At his side, in the sixth lane, will be the American Zach Harting, whose personal best is 1’55 ”06. On the other hand, in the fourth lane, the home champion, favorite of the battery and of the very final Daiya Seto, whose personal best is 1’52 “53: Seto, however, could be conditioned by the controversy for his suspension of 4 months decided by the Japanese swimming federation, which also forced him to renounce the role of captain of the Olympic team, on the grounds of having violated the code of ethics for having had an extramarital affair. For the same reason, All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd. has terminated the sponsorship relationship with him. It will therefore be necessary to understand if the four months of competitive stoppage between the end of last year and the beginning of this, have affected his preparation. In the first lane the Belgian Louis Croenen (1’55 “69) will swim, in the second the Australian David Morgan (1’55” 26), in the third Kuan Hung Wang from Taipei (1’54 “77).
Semifinals on Tuesday
Burdisso boasts the third best time of the year, obtained at the European Championships, and in this battery the only real rival to his height is Seto, who however established his excellent staff last year, before he was stopped by the strict rules. of his country. The sixteen best times of the five heats qualify for the two semifinals. Federico, registered with the Army sports body, boasts the fifth time overall, but in 2021 only the two Hungarian dolphinists Kristof Milak and Tamas Kenderesi did better than him. The semifinals are scheduled for tomorrow starting at 11.35 am (4.35 am Italian time) and 11.41 am (4.41 am Italian time). The final is scheduled for Wednesday with departure from the blocks at 10.49 (3.49 Italian). No swimmer from Pavia has ever won an Olympic medal, not even Alessandro Calvi, a specialist in the 100 and 200 freestyle who competed in two Olympics and who both in Athens 2004 and in Beijing 2008 came in fourth place with the 4 x 100 style relay.