Swimming: Who is Benedetta Pilato, 16 years old and an incredible world record

«I didn’t expect it, I’m very happy. I didn’t think I would have a similar time in the semifinals, I still haven’t realized that I have set the world record ». Who knows if the night was enough to make a understand Benedetta Pilato the enormity of the undertaking.

The Taranto has canceled the 29 ”40 of the American Lilly King and in the semifinal of the 50 meters breaststroke at the European Championships in Budapest he swam in 29 ”30. He can still improve in the final this afternoon. The last blue world record was made by Federica Pellegrini in 2009, 12 years ago.

Benedetta Pilato comes from Taranto, but she is more than ready to be a citizen of the world starting from Budapest where he spent a month and a half last fall, and where he just broke the world record at just 16. The next stop is on the other side of the world: Tokyo. She goes there armed with a slight unconsciousness to make the 100 frog. «The Olympics? I don’t imagine it, I just don’t know what to expect. I’ve never even seen it on TV, “he told al Corriere della Sera.

She already has a world silver on her bulletin board and doesn’t seem to be starting out fearfully. She has been in the tank since she was under 4 followed by Vito D’Onghia who works at the ASL. In the meantime, she went to high school with an excellent average without forgetting to follow the Sanremo festival: she voted for Fedez and the Maneskin. She likes Jovanotti, she loves series, not books.

You swim in Bari or Rome, in Taranto there is no long pool. His life is like this: «Twice a week we go swimming in Bari. I get up at 7.30 am, I go to school and then practice at 2 pm. When I come back, I study. When you could go out every now and then I did. Sacrifices? No, I do what I like ». Like everyone else, he did a lot of distance learning. “Lots of video lessons: the only positive side is that I woke up later, but otherwise I was very much at my pc and without my companions”, he told Republic.

The secret of its success lies in the fun. “I’m sunny, even though Vito says I’m touchy. With him, a little boy inside, we are a good group. The workouts does not make us weigh them even if tough. I have to improve technically, but we got here from the smaller teams. It gives us pride and joy ».

The first appointment is very short. At 6.10 pm live on Rai Due there is the final of the 50 breaststroke.

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