Rain of gold, five, and a total of 10 medals today for Italnuoto which closes the European Championships as queens. In Lublin the 25 meter pool is bluer than ever, with the squadron led by Cesare Butini the absolute leader: on the final day another five titles arrived, with one silver and four bronzes. Sara Curtis, stronger than the flu, after the bronze in the 100 freestyle, wins the 50 backstroke with the European record in 25″49 which erases the 25″60 set by the Dutch Kira Toussian. Another super performance from the 19 year old from Piedmont who beat the French Analia Pigree and the Dutch Maaike De Waard. “I’m too happy with the record and with everything that’s happening in this European, I didn’t expect it to happen like this.” Half an hour later the Italian sprinter returns to the water for the 50 freestyle final and takes the silver around her neck, ex aequo with the Transalpine Beryl Gastaldello (the title goes to the host Katarzyna Wasick). «Two races and two medals in the space of a few minutes: I wanted to test myself and I would say that it went more than well.
It was a week full of satisfactions and it repays me for the work I’m doing in the USA.” For Curtis, an incredible European: gold with the 4×50 freestyle mixed, with the 4×50 mixed mixed and silver with the 4×50 freestyle and three other individual medals. The other golden signature is signed by Simone Cerasuolo: the long course world champion rises to the top of Europe in the 50m breaststroke, with Nicolò Martinenghi bronze. The two friends and teammates hug each other upon arrival and confirm the blue frog at the top in Europe. And Simona Quadarella also makes no mistake and takes the title in the 1500m freestyle which she lacked in the short course: the 27-year-old from Rome dominated the 60 courses, winning a gold in 15’29″93 which adds to the two silvers with an Italian record in the 400m and 800m freestyle. And Alberto Razzetti is champion of the 400m medley, repeating the title from two years ago: the 26-year-old from Lavagna dominates in 3’58″79, making up for the disappointment of sixth place in the 200 butterfly within half an hour. Italy also takes the last race, winning the men’s 4X50 mixed relay with Francesco Lazzari Simone Cerasuolo, Simone Stefanì and Leonardo Deplano finishing in 1’30″49. The final day also gave Anita Gastaldi bronze in the 200 butterfly with an Italian record of 2’04″07. Bronze also goes to Francesco Lazzari who swims the 50 backstroke in 22″76. Italy returns with a smile from Poland, finishing at the top of the medal table (overtaking the Netherlands) with nine gold, five silver and six bronze.