Tokyo 2020, cross-country swimming: Paltrinieri bronze in the 10 km

Gregorio Paltrinieri wins the bronze medal in the 10 km cross-country swimming at the Tokyo 2020 Games in 1.49.01. After the joy of silver in the 800 freestyle in the pool, the blue again manages to get on the podium in open water after a tiring race always in pursuit. Gold to the German Florian Wellbrock and silver to the Hungarian Kristof Rasovszky. No Italian in the men’s field had gone to the medal and Paltrinieri did so after having mononucleosis, a great test of the blue. Mario Sanzullo closes 12th. “I couldn’t do more than that. It’s the right reward after two months of hell. I’m leaving Tokyo with two medals and I can feel satisfied,” Paltrinieri said. “The plans weren’t these, but the way I arrived is fine. Today it was very hot, I didn’t even notice Wellbrock’s acceleration. Then Fabrizio (Antonelli, ed) urged me to go and get the first even blew up the first refueling. In the end the German was unattainable, he played the perfect race. I tried to overtake the Hungarian who was good at not giving me space “, added the blue champion. of the 1500 does not even have the strength to exult, because it has gone beyond its limits. “I wanted this bronze at all costs, because these Olympics had not yet completely satisfied me: now I am. Fourth place in the 1500s was a bad blow. I leave anyway with a smile, because more than that was impossible. This one. medal is one of the most suffered in my career, but I deserved it, because despite a difficult condition I didn’t give up. I’m happy to have fought and given my best – continues Paltrineri, registered for Fiamme Oro and Coopernuoto – Fosse per me I would try again next week. Now I have three Olympic medals in three different disciplines (800, 1500 and 10 km) and this is also nice “.