In the final of “his” 200 freestyle he comes back two hundredths from the triumph The liberating scream: «Mom, I’m still alive!». Today he returns to the tank for the 4×200
“Mom, I’m still alive!” Federica Pellegrini’s smile shines with silver, just out of the water of the Duna Arena in Budapest after wearing the 17th European medal in long course of her immense career around her neck. For someone like her used to winning, second place might sound like a defeat, but it is not so if until Tuesday evening she had not yet decided whether or not to dive into the race of which she is the best interpreter in history, and still a record holder. world in charge.
“I’m doing the race, won’t I?”: The daisy leafed through it with the coach Matteo Giunta and, after the first silver in the 4×200 freestyle relay with mixed ranks, the Divina was also convinced to swim in the individual test as well, so as to break in ahead of the last challenge, the Olympic one that awaits her in just over two months in the Tokyo wards.
A race in progression, as usual, with a powerful comeback in the final pool, in which for a few moments she gave the impression of having overtaken even the Czech Barbora Seemanova, who instead mocked her to the touch for just two cents: 1 ’56 “27 against 1’56” 29. In the same tank in which in 2017 she defeated Katie Ledecky and won the third of her four world titles in the beloved 200, Fede yesterday missed the continental throne occupied for four consecutive editions between 2010 and 2016 but with no regrets, because this review was only a stage of passage towards the last battle between the lanes that awaits her in Japan.
In the embrace of the technician Giunta, who immediately complimented her, there was a cascade of emotions for a season that began late due to the positivity at Covid in October, but now again channeled on the right aquatic tracks. «I’m satisfied with this silver because I didn’t have any more, as we saw from the arrival. After the medal in the relay, with Matteo we decided to complicate our lives a little because it was the last chance to swim as many rounds of the 200 attacked as I hope to have in Tokyo. I was a little tried, but I’m happy for once that I agreed with Matteo. I dosed my strength in the first 100 and then I made a return to my way, so I’m happy in spite of the 2 cents: the medal was not obvious ».
And the efforts are not over because, except for second thoughts, today he will be back in the pool in the women’s 4×200 style: «At 32 I had never done such an intense week, let’s see if I survive». Mamma Cinzia and the tide of fans of the Divina are confident. As a standard bearer in Rio, she comments on the choice of successors for the Tokyo Games: “I am very happy with the names, while on the double standard bearer to express equality of the sexes I say that it was not so much needed, but I find it a right choice”. –