Italian Swimming Stars Illuminate Grand Prix Città di Napoli
Naples, May 9, 2026 – The ninth edition of the Grand Prix Città di Napoli – Trofeo Vecchio Amaro del Capo commenced with a spectacular display of talent, as Italian swimming stars delivered thrilling performances. Lorenzo Ballarati and Federica Toma claimed victory in the highly anticipated 100m freestyle events, setting an electrifying tone for the competition.
Ballarati and Toma Triumph in 100m Freestyle
In the men’s 100m freestyle, Lorenzo Ballarati (Carabinieri Sports Centre), born in 2006, clocked an impressive time of 49.72 seconds. He outpaced Paolo Conte Bonin (Fiamme Oro), who finished in 49.89 seconds, and Fabio Megli (Carabinieri Sports Centre) with a time of 50.16 seconds. For the women’s 100m freestyle, Federica Toma (Carabinieri Sports Centre) touched the wall first at 55.56 seconds, narrowly beating Matilde Biagiotti (Fiamme Oro) at 55.81 seconds and Chiara Tarantino (Fiamme Gialle) at 55.89 seconds in a fiercely contested race.
Dorsal and Sprint Victories
The 100m backstroke events also saw notable wins. Francesca Pasquino (Fiamme Oro) secured the women’s title with a time of 1:01.06, while Daniele Del Signore (Fiamme Gialle) dominated the men’s category in 54.85 seconds.
The audience was particularly enthralled by the sprint finals, which concluded the day’s program. These races showcased the recruitment of top Italian swimming talents by the organizers, leading to exciting finishes.
- 50m Breaststroke: Simone Cerasuolo (Fiamme Oro) delivered a stellar performance with a time of 26.82 seconds. Benedetta Pilato (Circolo Canottieri Aniene) triumphed in the women’s event, finishing in 30.00 seconds.
- 50m Butterfly: Carlos D’Ambrosio (Fiamme Gialle) celebrated a victorious return to the Scandone pool, a venue where he had frequently excelled until the age of 14, by stopping the clock at 23.66 seconds. Among the women, Silvia Di Pietro (Carabinieri Sports Centre) emerged victorious with a time of 26.36 seconds, just one-tenth of a second ahead of Viola Scotto Di Carlo.
Individual Medley and Breaststroke Highlights
The winners of the 200m individual medley were determined by the best times. Francesca Fresia (Carabinieri Sports Centre) claimed the women’s title with 2:19.31, and Matteo Venini (Carabinieri Sports Centre) secured the men’s victory with 2:05.31.
Earlier in the morning, the 200m breaststroke events saw Matteo Telesca (Centro nuoto Torino) achieve the best men’s time of 2:14.68, while Francesca Zucca (Fiamme Azzurre) led the women’s field with 2:27.79.
The competition is set to continue with its second and final day tomorrow, promising more thrilling races and outstanding performances from Italy’s swimming elite.
Source: ANSA.it
