Multiple world champion and world records holder

interview by Nicola Negrello

1) When did you start finswimming?

I started in 1989 or 1990, I can’t remember exactly! I used to do classic swimming since 1986... some of the readers weren’t even born at that time!

2) What are your best memories related to our sport and what are the worst?

The first competition, the Italy Senior Championship in 2001 is one of my best memories, and then of course the day I won my first gold medal at the World Championship in Turin in 2006 (4x200 relay) and the day of the 200 sf? World Record (Eger 2008). But it’s the time I spent with friends from the club and the Italian team that I remember fondly, especially my experience with the "Sola" (Lorenzo Minisola), the biggest unachieved talent of this sport... I say that from the heart. I don’t have bad memories: maybe some competitions that didn’t go as I wanted them to but you don’t swim by yourself so losing can happen!

3) What do you think are your strongest qualities and what aspects could you still improve on?

I think I have a strong willingness to overcome all sorts of conditions, favorable or not… Overall, I think I have the good attitude to do high level sport. And this great tenacity has been reinforced by David Landi, THE COACH IN ESSENCE... The capital letters are not a typing mistake!Maybe I should improve my physical fitness but it’s all relative and it’s not like it used to be, just look at Figio (Stefano Figini) and me: weight doesn’t matter anymore. But some extra well-trained muscles might help me I think!

4) Do you have any role models in our sport or in life in general?

In finswimming, my idol is David Landi and what I feel towards him, I keep it to myself. All I can say is that he’s not just a coach, he’s much more than that. Then, among my competitors, comparatively, my role model is Stefano Figini, I don’t know the others enough or they don’t swim the same distances.

5) What are your objectives for the future?

I would like to keep on swimming like I used to when I was 25, but it’s not possible so I’d just like to continue participating in international competitions with my friends. I wish to all people who do sport to be lucky enough to meet athletes that are even 10% as great as those I had the honour to meet and to compete against.

6) How important is it for your carrier to be part of a military sport group?

I think it’s lucky (and meritorious of course) to be part of a military sport group that has an 80% incidence on a boy who does “an amateur sport with an agnostic commitment” … It allows me to keep on swimming in peace without risks or unforeseen issues.

7) What do you do except for swimming? What is your typical day made of?

In the morning I wake up around 8am and go to university. I only have a few exams left and then I’m done! Then I train once or twice a day depending on the competition schedule… We always hope it’s only going to be once a day !!!!

8) What are your passions apart from finswimming?

3 years ago, I fell madly in love with surf. I would do anything to be able to go to the seaside and surf. It doesn’t matter if it’s summer or winter, no rain can stop me.

9) Would you like to stay in the atmosphere of finswimming once your agnostic carrier ends?

........................ no comment ;-)