Pellegrini: "Italy will entertain us at the World Cup. The competitions? I think about them sometimes, but I won't be back."

At dawn on Saturday, Federica Pellegrini will turn on the TV in her home in Verona, and it will seem strange to her to see the first heats of the World Championships in Singapore . The woman with six individual titles will be thrilled with Italy and will be cheering especially on Nicolò Martinenghi, now coached by none other than Matteo Giunta, her husband.

Her husband is back coaching an Olympian.

"Matteo has a huge amount of energy for this challenge. He's put in a lot of hard work in the gym, different from what he did with me. They're so confident. The 100m will be decided down to the last second."

Verona, with two Olympic champions, is the capital. Ceccon and Martinenghi work at different times.

“I remember when I used to do it. The pool has different hours, you don't even realize it.”

Twenty years ago, she won her first world medal: this Italy would still need her in the women's category. The podiums in Paris were all men's.

“It was more difficult when I retired in 2021, due to the gap in the relays. The girls are settling in, and now we have good relays.”

The women's 4x200 relay team has only one medal at the 2015 World Championships: thanks to her recovery...

"With some improvement in the 1.57, even in the European context, the 4x200 can return to prominence. I think it was a mistake not to bring Mao, even though she's fourteen. Major events help you learn how to swim, regardless. It's a missed opportunity. It wasn't risky."

She won gold in 2019 against eighteen-year-old Titmus.

“It happened to me too when Van Almsick was there, it's the natural course of events.”

In the 200m freestyle there is no longer a hegemony like his.

"There was the O'Callaghan period, and I don't know if Titmus will still be around. I really like O'Callaghan: she has incredible closure."

And how would McIntosh see it?

"She's versatile. I remember Hosszu trying in the 200 freestyle, but this is a unique and difficult race due to the energy expenditure over the three rounds. Sjostrom was also trying. The Canadian didn't perform at her best; she has a demanding program."

What would you like to see from the World Cup that is about to begin?

The East has always brought fond memories to me and to Italy: it always gave me a different energy. Singapore could be a wonderful World Cup. Some people can catch their breath in the post-Olympic year, and some don't. Paris came later, but several world records have already fallen. I'm convinced that Italy will entertain us. I see the Azzurri looking pretty thirsty.

Quadarella comes from 2 world gold medals but from a double Olympic fourth place.

“I really like Simona. Because she keeps pushing. And that's not easy, especially in a race where Ledecky leaves nothing to be desired. Maintaining that motivation, that high standard of competition, knowing she's fighting for second place. I admire her so much for that.”

Will Pilato return to the top?

"She's at an impasse: Benedetta has tremendous potential. Sometimes it's hard to find your way. There are years when you get stuck and it's hard to figure out what's wrong to make things work. It helped me to change everything when I didn't understand. I'd cut and change. I don't know about her."

For Fede, swimming was everything: what about girls today?

"Swimming was my life's motivation from morning till night. It was a magnificent obsession. But it's also normal for a girl today to tell you that it's not her only reason for living."

Curtis takes a chance. And goes to America. She turned down college.

"Some choose to pack their bags, and some drag themselves into comfortable situations. I was supposed to go to Bowman for a while in 2009. Alberto Castagnetti asked me to leave after his heart surgery. Then, unfortunately, he left us, and everything changed for me."

Will this be discussed in the film that will be made about his story?

"It's a project tied to a few years of my life. It won't be a biography of 20 years of swimming. It will be released in 2027."

"I don't know. I was strict about the underwater scenes: the actress had to be able to swim well."

Sometimes I jump in the water with the kids to feel like one of them. Feeling like an ex is really hard for me in my head, and then in the water the feelings are never the same. There's always that voice telling me, 'OK, if you start swimming again tomorrow, who knows, maybe you'll get to Los Angeles,' but that won't be the case. Matteo tells me, 'If you started training tomorrow, you'd qualify in two years.' I'd be really happy the first week, but then not. At 39, young people might think, 'What the hell is she doing, what a drag!'

How does Coventry, a former swimmer, view the IOC?

“She's very focused. She wanted to be president in life. I still haven't figured out what I want to do. I enjoy doing so many things too much. Maybe because for 20 years of my life I've always done one thing.”

Malagò would see her leading a federation.

"To be president, you have to be present a lot. I couldn't with a little girl. Who knows in 10 years."