Twentieth time in the heats of the 200 back. “I couldn’t do more than that, that’s okay.” Now the thesis in medicine
TOKYO. Matteo Restivo greets the Olympics with a smile. The swimmer from Udine was eliminated after the heats of the 200 backstroke, but returns to Friuli aware that in his condition he could not have done more.
All the energies had been channeled to the 7 Colli di Roma at the end of June, to win the pass. For a month he tried to keep his form, but in Tokyo he did not arrive in the necessary condition to compete for a place in the top 10 in the world.
The 26-year-old from Udine does not make a drama of it, who, recharging his batteries, will have a thesis in medicine to discuss and then a new season to prepare for the European Championships in Rome 2022, which he absolutely does not want to miss.
His family is very proud of him, who yesterday followed the live match together: his father Alessandro, his mother Mariangela, his brother Luca and his paternal grandmother Mery.
«We have been anxious – explains our father Alessandro – and pursued his dream meter by meter, together with him. Halfway through the race he was third and we were under the illusion that he could reach the semifinal, but unfortunately it did not go as we hoped. However, we are very proud of our champion. Now we are waiting for him here in Lignano to enjoy the well-deserved holidays, and then there are new goals to pursue, both sporting and university ».
In the race Matteo started with the 14th registration time and finished 20th (1’58 ”36). A time definitely too high to be able to hope to enter the top sixteen at the start today for the semifinals, and definitely far from his best time. Matteo holds the Italian record on distance: that 1’56 ”29 which in 2018 earned him the European bronze.
«To be able to express myself at those levels – he explains to us at the end of the race – I need to work hard and in a specific way. I left for Tokyo two weeks after obtaining the qualification, with inadequate preparation. After 7 Colli I tried to keep my shape. I am obviously sorry to be out, but I have no regrets, because I couldn’t do more than that. The only real regret is that of not having achieved the qualification in March: only in that way could I have built an Olympic-level performance ».
But it was definitely worth it. The carabiniere – Friulian doctor had a dream as a child when his love affair with swimming began: to participate in the Olympics. And that dream came true yesterday.