Swimming: Captain Zazzeri wins silver in the 4x100 freestyle: "One of my greatest successes."

Florence, 28 July 2025 – “This medal we won it against all odds, it's a silver won , not a gold lost". Lorenzo Zazzeri is full of pride for what he and the other three standard-bearers of the Italian 4x100 freestyle relay have managed to do once again, a feat that not many believed in despite many past successes, not least the Olympic bronze in Paris 2024. The captain of the Italian team at the World Swimming Championships underway in Singapore does not hide his satisfaction for the goal achieved by the relay (the fourth consecutive podium) composed, in addition to the 31-year-old from Florence, of Carlos D'Ambrosio, Thomas Ceccon and Manuel Frigo, who also set a new Italian record: 3'09"58 .

A feat that bore the scent of confirmation and a bright future, battling to the last stroke against the two world sprinting powers, gold medalist Australia and bronze medalist the United States, behind the Italians. It was an exciting race, in which the veteran Rari Nantes Florentia and Italian Army champion took the baton in the third leg, stopping the clock at 47.36 (from a run) with a race managed with elegance and determination, keeping Italy firmly in contention for the podium. A key figure in the Italian 4x100m for years, an athlete who never lets down, capable of giving his all when it really matters, Zazzeri was able to put his signature touch (given his talent and artistic ability both inside and outside the pool) in Singapore as well. What were your feelings in the heat?

"We were and are very satisfied, especially with the time: 3'09"58 is a truly incredible time, nine times out of ten it would have guaranteed the gold medal. We improved on the Italian record and are happy to have put our hand ahead of the United States. " Another silver medal at a World Championships: is it the best? "Definitely among the best. I put it in the top three after the Olympic silver and perhaps another race on a personal level, the one in Fukuoka, where I was coming off a health crisis and it was truly special. It's very beautiful because we defied the odds and beat the battleship that was the USA, which seemed unreachable." Is this a 100% satisfying silver medal, or is there still a hint of disappointment for a gold medal that slipped away again by the skin of our teeth? "Obviously, we are thinking about the gold medal, but as I've already said, this is a silver medal won in every sense, not a gold lost. We always enter the water to try to win. This year the Australians had an amazing relay team and didn't make a single mistake, so congratulations to them. They also set the ocean record, so I think their relay team also exceeded expectations. But for our part, we did well." How do you feel about the upcoming races at these championships? "I feel good. I've had good signs, in terms of my sensations in the water and my basic speed. On Friday I have the 50m freestyle, we'll see how it goes, and possibly other relays based on how the coach decides to juggle us based on his commitments." Is your swimming dream to reach the Los Angeles 28 Games? "Yes, as far as I'm concerned, Los Angeles is one of my goals. I'd like to finish with my third Olympics." And what is your dream outside of the pool? "To work in the creative field and at least to be able to build a career that satisfies me as much as my swimming one. It'll be hard to find something that gives me the same adrenaline, but maybe it's not even what I'm looking for, but I'd really like it to be a job that makes me feel complete, both mentally and creatively." Does this silver medal fully repay you for the hard work in the gym and in the pool? "This silver medal really repays me, but not entirely, because there are also individual competitions that I care a lot about. So if I were to also win a good individual competition, then yes, it would be a world championship that fully repays me for all the hard work." Who would you like to thank? "First of all, I want to thank my coach Paolo Palchetti. Rari Nantes Florentia, the Army Olympic sports center that always supports me, both in good times and difficult ones, and my family."