Federica Pellegrini will not close her career at the Tokyo Olympics but will not go on until the next European swimming championships, scheduled in Rome in 2022. “I won’t get there, my body won’t let me,” explained the “Divina”, who instead he will be in the pool in Naples for an international tournament scheduled from 26 August to 30 September.
Now all eyes are on the Games. Conquered last April 2, dominating “his” 200 freestyle in the third day of the Absolutes in Riccione. It will be the fifth participation in the Olympics, 17 years after the unforgettable debut in Athens 2004. When, at the age of 16, he won the silver medal in the 200, becoming at the time the youngest Italian athlete to get on an Olympic podium individual. The beginning of the legend. At the end of the qualifying match for Tokyo he showed the “five” with his hand, then, in front of the cameras, he released his tears for hitting a goal but also to explain the last few months. “The last few months have not been easy,” commented the blue, who had to face Covid in the autumn: “Swimming in this weather was not easy. Now you can breathe much better. I have reached the fifth Olympics, there are many and I feel like crying again ».
Only one of the obstacles that may have led to the decision not to go beyond this autumn, despite the fact that the European Championships in May still saw her as a protagonist. “My body does not allow me to reach the European Championships in Rome”, however, is the certainty communicated today.