Day 3 – Italian Podium

It’s brazilian showtime again: Gabriel Geraldo dos Santos Araujo sets the new WR in the S2 50m fly (56.62), while his teammate Talisson Glock wins gold (S6, 31.94, 893 pts).

In the 100m Fly the winners are Gabriel Bandera (BRA, S14, 55.68, 1016 pts) and Carlotta Gilli (ITA, S13, 1.05.23, 903 pts).

The last shot of Gabriel Geraldo dos Santos Araujo in the 150m IM, gold medal and S2 world record in 3.47.04 (1018 pts)

Among the women, the gold medal goes to Lidia Vieira da Cruz (BRA, SM4, 3.06.94, 773 punti).

Dos Santos Araujo sets also the best male performance of the meeting 53.08 in the 50m free

with 1071.00 pts. Best female performance for Michelle Alonso Morales, (ESP, SB14 100 Breast, 01:15.72, 1016.00 pts).

Brazil also leads the medal table with 16 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze; then Italy (10-7-8) and Colombia (1-4-1).

The speaker, the voice of the event:

An effective speaking service is one of the keys to the success of a sport event. In Lignano this service is provided by Enrico Cardinale e Lucrezia Foschia, former swimmers at their debut with Para Swimming.

 

How did you get involved with the World Series?

Enrico: We’ve been “hired” by the Italian national para swimming (FINP): an international event, the best swimmers in the world… We didn’t give it a second thought!

Lucrezia: I should have been here for the saturday morning session only to replace Enrico, but since I was here, I never wanted to leave! We thought that the two-voices format could work well, so here we are!

 

Did you enjoy the meeting? Do you think to work again with Para Swimming?

Enrico: Yes, of course! We’re already looking on the next events, we’ll be ther for sure.

Lucrezia: These days we’ve received a lot, both professionally and personally. For people who love swimming like us it’s impossible not to be charmed by the sport.

Daniele Rocchi, referee of the Event and the starter

We met Mr. Daniele Rocchi, referee of the Event.

What is your impression as you approach to the last session of this Italian leg of the World Series?

Excellent. It’s the first “real” event after the Covid pandemic, with huge numbers of athletes and great performances. We’re witnessing extraordinary races: world, continental, national records. We’re having a lot of fun, so we hope everybody.

What are the technical peculiarities for Para Swimming?

We must perfectly know the FINA technical rules, that are the foundation of the sport, and the adaptations provided for specific disabilities. The most challenging races for us are the breaststroke and butterfly events, in that these are the most technically complex strokes.

Why did you choose to become a Para Swimming Officier?

Because I love the sport. In this pool you can see the pain, the sacrifices, the work done by swimmers, coaches, parents, and we’re here to help them to collect what they sowed.

 

JULIA NUZUM, INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS OFFICIAL

How do you become an international official?

World Para Swimming organizes international training courses, I followed one of them in 2016 in Berlin (GER), with theory and practice. Motivations change from person to person: for me it’s a matter of love. Love for the sport, love for the people, love for fair competition. Since I was 14 I work with people with disabilities, so I’m supposed to have a predisposition.

How many officials are needed today?

Tons of! Due to the Covid pandemic a lot of collegues have left, because they don’t like to wear a mask all day long or are afraid of crowded places. We need new entries, anyone interested can contact their National paralimpic committee for any kind of information.

 

Day 3 – Morning – World Series Lignano Sabbiadoro 2022

The morning session starts with the Italian hat-trick in the 400m free: Antonio Fantin (4.56.39 S6, 1005 points), Federico Bicelli (4.40.43 S7, 987 pts and national record) and Simone Barlaam (4.16.23 S9, 964 pts).

In the other morning final, another Italian gold medal with Giulia Terzi (S7, 5.16.53).

Double world record in the S2 50m fly heats: first Bruno Becker Da Silva (BRA, 1.00.70), then Gabriel Geraldo Dos Santos Araujo (BRA), more and more man of the event with an astonishing 57.21!

Dos Santos Araujo is now definetly in beast mode and sets the third WR of the day: 3.47.04 in the SM2 150m IM.

Brazil also wins solo the two mixed relays 4×50 (2.30.08) and 4×100 (4.27.66, WR) free.

Brazil leads the medal table with 12 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze, but Italy is moving up with 8-6-5. For the third place there is a struggle among Colombia (1-2-0) United Kingdom (1-1-1) and Spain (1-1-0).

World Series Lignano Sabbiadoro 2022 – Athletes interviews

Firs final and records

At the end of the first day of the Lignano Sabbiadoro Para Swimming World Series, the Brazilian national team leads the medal table with 8 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze, ahead of Italy (3-3-3) and the Netherlands (1-0-0).

 

Daily best performances: Gabriel Geraldo Dos Santos Araujo (BRA) with a double American record in the S2 100 free, breaking the 2 minutes wall (1.58.75, 1068 points); Xenia Francesca Palazzo (ITA) in the S8 100 free (977 points).

Four more American records have been set: Fabiola Ramirez (MEX, S2 200 free, 5.36.76), Lidia Vieira da Cruz (BRA, S4 200 free, 3.13.91), Jose Ronaldo Da Silva (BRA, S1 50 back, 1.20.40), Gabriel Feiten (BRA, S1 50 back, 1.21.29).

 

The afternoon session has started with the greetings of the authorities. Massimiliano Fedriga, president of Friuli Venezia Giulia: “It’s not about para swimming. It’s about a great sport event. A great opportunity for our community, with great economic and social importance. Dozen of Nations, sharing the same arena, fairly competing, in a tragic moment of our history, has a great symbolic value.

Day 1 World Series Lignano Sabbiadoro 2022