Federica Pellegrini

Italian swimmer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Federica Pellegrini

Federica Pellegrini Grande Ufficiale OMRI[1] (Italian pronunciation: [fedeˈriːka pelleˈɡriːni]; born 5 August 1988)[2] is an Italian retired swimmer. A native of Mirano, in the former province of Venice (Metropolitan City of Venice since 2015), she won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At the 2009 World Championships in Rome (long course swimming pool, 50 m), Pellegrini became the first woman ever to break the 4-minute barrier in the 400 m freestyle with a time of 3:59.15.[3] She also held the women's 200 meters freestyle world record (long course, 50 m).

Quick Facts Personal information, Nickname ...
Federica Pellegrini
Thumb
Pellegrini in 2009
Personal information
Nicknamela Divina
National team Italy
Born (1988-08-05) 5 August 1988 (age 36)
Mirano, Italy
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubCircolo Canottieri Aniene
CoachMatteo Giunta
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing Italy
International podiums
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 1 1 0
World Championships (LC) 6 4 1
World Championships (SC) 1 2 5
European Championships (LC) 7 6 7
European Championships (SC) 7 4 6
Universiade 2 1 1
Mediterranean Games 2 0 0
Total 26 18 20
By individual race
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
200 m freestyle 17 7 1
400 m freestyle 5 2 4
800 m freestyle 1 1 1
Total 23 10 6
By relay race
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
4 × 50 m freestyle 1 0 2
4 × 100 m freestyle 0 3 3
4 × 200 m freestyle 2 1 3
4 × 50 m medley 0 1 2
4 × 100 m medley 0 0 2
4 × 50 m mixed freestyle 0 0 1
4 × 100 m mixed freestyle 0 1 1
4 × 200 m mixed freestyle 0 1 0
4 × 100 m mixed medley 0 1 0
Total 3 8 14
Olympic Games
2008 Beijing200 m freestyle
2004 Athens200 m freestyle
World Championships (LC)
2009 Rome200 m freestyle
2009 Rome400 m freestyle
2011 Shanghai200 m freestyle
2011 Shanghai400 m freestyle
2017 Budapest200 m freestyle
2019 Gwangju200 m freestyle
2005 Montreal200 m freestyle
2013 Barcelona200 m freestyle
2015 Kazan200 m freestyle
2015 Kazan4 × 200 m freestyle
2007 Melbourne200 m freestyle
World Championships (SC)
2016 Windsor200 m freestyle
2006 Shanghai200 m freestyle
2016 Windsor4 × 100 m freestyle
2006 Shanghai400 m freestyle
2010 Dubai400 m freestyle
2014 Doha4 × 100 m freestyle
2016 Windsor4 × 50 m freestyle
2018 Hangzhou4 × 100 m medley
European Championships (LC)
2008 Eindhoven400 m freestyle
2010 Budapest200 m freestyle
2012 Debrecen200 m freestyle
2012 Debrecen4 × 200 m freestyle
2014 Berlin200 m freestyle
2014 Berlin4 × 200 m freestyle
2016 London200 m freestyle
2008 Eindhoven4 × 100 m freestyle
2016 London4 × 100 m freestyle
2016 London4 × 100 m mixed freestyle
2016 London4 × 100 m mixed medley
2020 Budapest4 × 200 m mixed freestyle
2020 Budapest200 m freestyle
2008 Eindhoven4 × 200 m freestyle
2010 Budapest800 m freestyle
2012 Debrecen4 × 100 m freestyle
2014 Berlin4 × 100 m freestyle
2020 Budapest4 × 200 m freestyle
2020 Budapest4 × 100 m mixed freestyle
2020 Budapest4 × 100 m medley
European Championships (SC)
2005 Trieste200 m freestyle
2008 Rijeka200 m freestyle
2009 Istanbul200 m freestyle
2010 Eindhoven800 m freestyle
2013 Herning200 m freestyle
2015 Netanya200 m freestyle
2015 Netanya4 × 50 m freestyle
2006 Helsinki400 m freestyle
2007 Debrecen400 m freestyle
2019 Glasgow200 m freestyle
2019 Glasgow4 × 50 m medley
2005 Trieste400 m freestyle
2008 Rijeka4 × 50 m medley
2010 Eindhoven4 × 50 m medley
2011 Szczecin4 × 50 m freestyle
2013 Herning400 m freestyle
2017 Copenhagen4 × 50 m mixed freestyle
Universiade
2007 Bangkok200 m freestyle
2007 Bangkok400 m freestyle
2007 Bangkok800 m freestyle
2007 Bangkok4 × 200 m freestyle
Mediterranean Games
2009 Pescara400 m freestyle
2009 Pescara4 × 100 m freestyle
National championships
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Absolute 24 6 4
Spring 66 15 9
Winter 39 15 2
Total 129 36 15
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Pellegrini is the only swimmer − male or female − to have won eight medals in a row in the same event (200 meters freestyle) at the World Championships.[4][5] She is also the first female Olympic swimming champion from Italy and the only Italian swimmer to have set world records in more than one event. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, she became the first female swimmer to qualify for five consecutive Olympic finals in the same specialty (200 m freestyle). She is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).[6] Pellegrini retired from active competition in 2021. She was nicknamed "La Divina" ("The Divine") by Italian sport journalists.

Biography

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Perspective

Career

2004 Olympics

Pellegrini's first international podium was at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where she won the silver medal in the 200 m freestyle at the age of 16, becoming the youngest Italian athlete ever to win an Olympic medal in an individual event.

2005–2007

Pellegrini competed at the 2005 Montreal, where she got a silver in the 200 m freestyle, just behind Solenne Figuès, after being the favourite in the event, because of setting previously the best time of the season in the distance. Two years after, she took part of the 400 m freestyle, her first attempt in the event, where she finished fifth. Then she competed also at the 200 m freestyle, where, in the semi-finals, she set her first world record of her career, with a time of 1:56:47, beating the previous one belonging to Franziska van Almsick. But it was beaten the day after in the final by her rival Laure Manaudou, who got the gold medal and immediately broke her world record, while she got just the bronze, behind Annika Lurz too.

2008

Pellegrini's first long course (50 meters) gold medal came at the 2008 European Championships in Eindhoven, where she won the 400 m freestyle setting a world record (4:01.53). She was disqualified in the heats of 200 m freestyle for a wrong start.

At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, she arrived as the world-record holder and favourite for the gold medal in the 400 m freestyle, having set the Olympic record in the heats (4:02.19), but only finished 5th in the final. On the same day, she recovered from that disappointment by setting a world record (1:55.45) in the heats of the 200 m freestyle; in the final, she broke her own world record (1:54.82) and won her first Olympic gold medal.

Pellegrini also proved her strength in short course events at the 2008 European Short Course Championships in Rijeka, when she won the gold medal in the 200 m freestyle at a world-record pace (1:51.85). At the 2009 Mediterranean Games in Pescara, Pellegrini broke the world record in the 400 m freestyle with a time of 4:00.41 to better Joanne Jackson's record of 4:00.66.[7]

2009 World Championships

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Pellegrini at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships

At the 2009 World Championships in Rome, Pellegrini broke the world record again in the 400 m freestyle with a time of 3:59.15, winning the gold medal and in doing so becoming the first female swimmer to break the 4-minute barrier in the event; she won the gold medal also in the 200 m freestyle and she broke her own world record with a time of 1:52.98. At 2009 European Short Course Championships in Istanbul she broke the world record in the 200 m freestyle with a time of 1:51.17. At the 2010 European Championships in Budapest Pellegrini won the bronze medal in the 800 m freestyle, behind Lotte Friis and Ophélie-Cyrielle Étienne, and the gold medal in the 200 m freestyle with a time of 1:55.45; in the same year, she announced that she would be working with Laure Manadou's former coach, Philippe Lucas.

2011 World Championships

At the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, Pellegrini won the gold medal in the 400 m freestyle with a time of 4:01.97, becoming the second female swimmer after Laure Manaudou to win the gold medal in this event at two consecutive World Aquatics Championships. Two days later, she won the gold medal in the 200 m freestyle too with a time of 1:55:58, becoming the first female swimmer ever to win this title at two consecutive editions of the World Aquatics Championships; after the success in Shanghai, she parted ways with her French coach and began working with Federico Bonifacenti.

2012

In May 2012, she was surprisingly excluded from the final of the 400 m freestyle at the 2012 European Aquatics Championships, after winning two gold medals in other events (200-metre freestyle and 4 × 200 m freestyle relay) and a bronze medal in 4 × 100 freestyle relay.[8]

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Pellegrini finished fifth in the 400 metres freestyle with a time of 4:04.50 and the 200 metres freestyle with a time of 1:56.73.

2013 World Championships

After the Olympics, Pellegrini declared she wouldn't take part to 200 and 400 metres freestyle at 2013 World Aquatics Championships to take a gap year. She chose to prepare herself for 200 metres backstroke competition to compete for Italy at World Championships. Anyway, with a last-minute decision, Pellegrini took part to 200 metres freestyle event at the 2013 World Championships and eventually won a silver medal with a time of 1:55.14, her best since Rome. Pellegrini won the silver medal behind Missy Franklin.

2014

At the 2014 European Aquatics Championships she repeated herself, winning the two gold medals of the previous championship, in the 200-metre freestyle (preceding Hosszú and Heemskerk) and in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, this one with an exceptional vamp over the Swedish team. She took part of 400-metre freestyle too, finishing fourth in the final, and this was her last international competition in that event.

2015 World Championships

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Pellegrini during Victory Ceremony of the 200 m freestyle at Kazan 2015

At the World Aquatics Championships held in Kazan (Russia) in 2015, she won the silver medal in 200 metres freestyle behind Katie Ledecky and ahead of Missy Franklin with a time of 1:55.32, and the silver medal in the 4 × 200 meter freestyle relay behind the United States. By winning the silver medal in the individual 200 metres freestyle, she became the first female swimmer in history to get a medal in the same event at six consecutive World Championships.

2016

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Pellegrini flagbearer for Italy at Rio de Janeiro 2016

In May 2016, she competed in European Championships in London and won the 200m freestyle with a time of 1:55.93, beating Femke Heemskerk from Holland.[9][10] At the Settecolli, in June, she set the Italian record in the 100 freestyle (53:18), and she made a very interesting time in the 200 freestyle (1:54:55), her personal best with the textile suit.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Pellegrini was flagbearer for Italy, and competed in the following disciplines:[11] 200m freestyle, and in the 4 × 100 and 4 × 200 m freestyle relays.

Pellegrini missed the podium during the competition, ranking fourth during the 200 m final. Eventually, she stated that failing to win an Olympic medal in the women's 200 metres freestyle final in Rio de Janeiro was so devastating for her that she may consider "making changes to her life".[12]

Nevertheless, she got a prime redemption at the World Short Course Championships in Windsor (Ontario), because she won her first gold medal in the 200 freestyle, beating Katinka Hosszú.

2017

Pellegrini competed in a Milan meet on 12 March 2017 and finished first in 100 m freestyle with 54.77 and second in 100 m backstroke with 1:01.59.[13] She competed in Indiana 2017 Arena Pro Swim Series in 2–4 March 2017 and won gold in 200 m freestyle with a time of 1:56.07.[14][15] At the World Aquatics Championships held in Budapest, she won the gold medal in 200 metres freestyle ahead of both Katie Ledecky and Emma McKeon with a time of 1:54.73. This was Ledecky's first loss at a major event. By winning the gold medal in the individual 200 metres freestyle, she became the first swimmer ever to get a medal in the same event at seven consecutive World Championships. She competed in the 100 metres freestyle too.

2018, the sabbatical year

After winning her seventh consecutive medal at the World championships of Budapest 2017 Pellegrini decides to allow herself a sabbatical with milder training and partial abandonment of her beloved 200m freestyle. And this is how at the European Championships in Copenhagen in December 2017 as individual competitions she participates in the 100 m freestyle which she finishes in seventh position in the final, and in the 100 m backstroke where she does not qualify for the final swimming only the tenth time of the semifinals. The only satisfaction of this review is the bronze medal in the 4 × 50 mixed freestyle relay.[16]

We continue on this path also at the European Long Course Championships in Glasgow of the following season where there is only a fifth place in the final of the 100 m freestyle and several placings at the foot of the podium in the relays, but also in this case Pellegrini seemed do not show up for the appointment in optimal conditions.[16]

2019

Pellegrini won the gold medal (her fourth overall) in the 200 m freestyle race at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships held at Gwangju, with a time of 1:54.22, before Ariarne Titmus and Sarah Sjöström, taking advantage of Katie Ledecky, Emma McKeon and Taylor Ruck's withdrawals in the event, and so improving her record of being the one, among female and male swimmers, to achieve eight podiums in the same event during eight consecutive editions of the World Championships earning the title of 9th-most decorated swimmer history with individuals medals alone.[17][5] She didn't go beyond the heats in the 50 metres freestyle and in the 100 metres freestyle.[18][19] She took part in the finals of the 4×100-metre mixed freestyle relay and the 4 × 100 m medley relay.

2021

In May, Pellegrini competed at the European Championships in Budapest, where she won double silver medal respectively in the 200m freestyle and in the 4 × 200 m mixed freestyle, and a triple bronze medal in the 4 × 200 m freestyle, in the 4 × 100 m mixed freestyle and in the 4 × 100 m medley.

At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, she qualified for the final of the 200 metre freestyle. This made her the second swimmer in history (after Michael Phelps) to qualify for the final of the same event five times.[20]

Pellegrini announced that she would retire at the conclusion of her third ISL season. Her final race as a professional was in her home country in Riccione on 30 Nov 2021.[21][22]

Celebrity

In August 2015, a section of the Lungomare delle Stelle of Jesolo was named after Federica Pellegrini and, as per tradition, the cast of the athlete's hands was made, preserved in the museum Kursaal of the city.[23]

Television

From 2019 to 2022 she was a judge on the talent show Italia's Got Talent , broadcast on TV8 and Sky Uno. Since October 2021 she has hosted some episodes of Le Iene with Nicola Savino.[24] In October 2022 she was one of the contestants in the tenth edition of Peking Express, paired with her husband Matteo Giunta.[25] In September 2024 she participated in "Ballando con le Stelle" Italy's version of Dancing with the Stars with her partner dancer Angelo Madonia.[26]

Television programs

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Network Role
2019-2022 Italia's Got Talent Sky Uno and TV8
2021 Le Iene Italia 1 co-host
2022 Peking Express Sky Uno and TV8 contestant with her husband Matteo Giunta
2024 Ballando con le Stelle RAI 1 dancer with various professional dancers Angelo Madonia, Samuel Peron and Pasquale La Rocca and with her husband Matteo Giunta.
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Personal life

From August 2011 to late 2016,[27] Pellegrini was in a relationship with swimmer Filippo Magnini,[28] having previously been engaged to another teammate, Luca Marin.[29]

On 30 October 2021, Pellegrini announced her engagement to her long-time coach Matteo Giunta.[30] They married at San Zaccaria, Venice, on 27 August 2022.[31] On January 3, 2024, they had a baby girl named Matilde.[32]

Personal bests

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Perspective

Pellegrini currently holds 3 European records (ER) and 16 National records (NR). Her personal bests are (as of 15 December 2019):

More information Event, Long course (year) ...
Event Long course (year) Short course (year)
50 m freestyle 24.92 (2019) 24.55 (2017)
100 m freestyle 53.18 (2016) 52.10 (2019)
200 m freestyle 1:52.98 (2009) World record 1:51.17 (2009) World record
400 m freestyle 3:59.15 (2009) 3:57.59 (2011)
800 m freestyle 8:24.99 (2010) 8:15.20 (2010)
50 m backstroke 28.53 (2018) 30.01 (2003)
100 m backstroke 1.00.03 (2018) 57.55 (2018)
200 m backstroke 2:08.05 (2013) 2:03.75 (2013)
50 m butterfly 28.46 (2015) 28.59 (2005)
100 m butterfly 1:00.17 (2015) 1:00.39 (2015)
200 m butterfly 2:12.96 (2015) 2:08.69 (2013)
100 m medley 1:04.62 (2003)
200 m medley 2:17.25 (2009) 2:12.20 (2015)
4 × 50 m freestyle relay 1:35.61 (2016)
4 × 100 m freestyle relay 3:35.90 (2016) 3:29.48 (2014)
4 × 100 m mixed freestyle relay 3:24.55 (2016)
4 × 200 m freestyle relay 7:46.57 (2009) 7:43.18 (2018)
4 × 200 m mixed freestyle relay 7:32.37 (2018)
4 × 50 m medley relay 1:45.84 (2019)
4 × 100 m medley relay 3:56.50 (2019) 3:51.38 (2018)
4 × 100 m mixed medley relay 3:43.27 (2019)
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International championships (50 m)

  Did not compete
More information Meet, 100 free ...
Meet 100 free 200 free 400 free 800 free 200 back 4 × 100 free 4 × 200 free 4 × 100 medley 4 × 100 mixed free 4 × 100 mixed med 4 × 200 mixed free
WC 20038th[a] not scheduled
EC 20044th5th4th
OG 200410th2nd place, silver medalist(s)10thDSQ(h)
WC 200510th2nd place, silver medalist(s)5th
EC 2006heats[b]6th5thDSQ(h)
WC 20073rd place, bronze medalist(s)5th13th10th
EC 2008DSQ(h)1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
OG 20081st place, gold medalist(s)5th10th4th14th
WC 20091st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)4th
EC 20101st place, gold medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
WC 20111st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)13th14th
EC 20121st place, gold medalist(s)10th3rd place, bronze medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
OG 20125th5th12th7th11th
WC 20132nd place, silver medalist(s)9th10th7thDSQ(h)
EC 20141st place, gold medalist(s)4th3rd place, bronze medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)5th
WC 20152nd place, silver medalist(s)6th2nd place, silver medalist(s)5th
EC 20161st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)5th2nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)
OG 20164th6th13th8th
WC 201715th1st place, gold medalist(s)10th8th5th8th
EC 20185th5th4th4th5th
WC 201922nd1st place, gold medalist(s)6thnot scheduled
EC 20212nd place, silver medalist(s)6th3rd place, bronze medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
OG 2021DNS7thDSQ6th4th
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a Pellegrini swam only in the heats
b Pellegrini qualified from the heats, but scratched the semi-finals

National championships

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Perspective

Pellegrini won 129 national swimming championships (both individual and relay races), in absolute (24), winter (38) and spring (66) editions[33]

More information Year, Edition ...
Year
Edition
freestyle
50 m
freestyle
100 m
freestyle
200 m
freestyle
400 m
freestyle
800 m
freestyle
4 × 50 m
freestyle
4 × 100 m
freestyle
4 × 200 m
backstroke
100 m
mixed
4 × 50 m
mixed
4×100 m
backstroke
200 m
2002Absolute --3---------
Winter -2----------
2003Spring 213---------
Winter 211--1---1--
2004Spring 111---11--1-
Absolute 2111--11--1-
Winter 211--2---1--
2005Spring -111--3---1-
Absolute -111--12--1-
Winter -21132---1--
2006Spring -112--13--1-
Winter --11--------
2007Spring -111--21--1-
Absolute --111-12--1-
Winter --11--------
2008Spring -2----31--1-
Absolute ---1---3--2-
Winter --2---------
2009Spring -11---113-1-
Absolute ---1--113-3-
2010Spring --111-11--1-
Winter --1--1---1--
2011Spring -1111-3---1-
Absolute ---1-1---2--
Winter --11--1---1-
2012Spring -111--2---1-
Winter ------2---1-
2013Spring --1---221-21
Winter ------1---21
2014Spring --11--31--21
Winter ------2---1-
2015Spring ---3--21--1-
Winter --1---1---1-
2016Spring 11---11--1-
Winter 11---2---1-
2017Spring 11---213-1
Winter 21---2---1-
2018Spring -1----2-1-2
Winter 1 1 2
2019 Spring 1 1 2
Winter 2 1 1
2020 Absolute 2 1 1 -
Winter 3 1 1
2021 Spring 2 1 1
Winter 1
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See also

References

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