by Arianna Ravelli, sent to Doha
Tete Martinenghi second behind the American Fink and ahead of the world record holder Adam Peaty.
The comparison with the greatest is to be truly great. Nicol Martinenghi wanted the challenge with the reference point of his specialty, Adam Peaty. Without it, he felt like something was missing. He had it and came out of it with a silver around his neck in the stellar challenge of the 100m breaststroke, behind the American Fink and ahead of Peaty.
READ today’s program for the World Swimming Championships HERE: Pilate struggling ahead
Official time, there is no longer a single sheriff in the city. The best of all, Peaty, is back, but he has to resign himself: the established order has changed, the power struggles that have broken out in his absence (while he took a break to adjust his body, mind and private life with the birth of his son and the separation from his partner) have changed the panorama (Will I ever go back to being who I was? Maybe not. I am at peace with this – and with the fact that I am not just an athlete, I am a person who wants to do better in sport but also continuously improve in growth). The new king Fink, but Nicol Martinenghi – who took advantage of the absence of the man who dominated for eight years, with a gold at the World Championships in Budapest and a three-place silver (shared with the American Fink and the Dutch Kaminga ) to those of Fukuoka – he remains one of the most prominent contenders: here in Doha, in the crowd of stellar competitors that make up the 100m breaststroke, he once again confirms himself as second. Good race, I saw Nick run away, I’m happy.
And Qin Haiyang, the Chinese man who took 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke in Fukuoka, is still missing. Sparks are expected in Paris. But Tete is there: he surfs the difficulties that held him back last year (the extra commitments that multiply, the lack of sufficiently training sparring partners in the pool in Varese, the decline in motivation last year, some widespread physical pain) and is maintained at very high levels. A few things have changed, more on a personal level than on a sporting level and this year I feel much better. The diamond in her teeth, the earrings, all the work of her goldsmith father, are the only extravagances she allows herself. I don’t like tattoos. Peaty has his body covered, especially with crosses and religious references. Not the only difference between two opponents who respect and appreciate each other. I wrote to him to give him my encouragement and I spoke to him, but I won’t go into his personal matters, it wouldn’t be delicate. He seems to be doing better. And Adam: As a child I didn’t dream of the kind of dominance I had for eight years, I want someone to push me and push me to improve, this is sport.
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February 12, 2024 (modified February 12, 2024 | 5:11 pm)
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