France: Fabrice Pellerin, coach to Yannick Agnel and Camille Muffat in France, has played down the notion of a European title hunt head-to-head between his young freestyle ace and world champion Paul Biedermann (GER). The Nice coach tells L'Equipe today: "I do not want to restrict his focus to comparison with the icon Biedermann. He will need to be wary of all his competitors, starting with Sebastian Rouault [France teamamte]." Rouault is among the continent's top three this year over 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle but his coach at Mulhouse, Lionel Horter, tells the sports paper: "Paper exercises mean nothing..." Agnel, meanwhile, will arrive in Budapest next week fresh from winning five golds and one silver at the European junior championships in Helsinki. His training between junior practice pond, tough as it was, and the heat of the senior race pool has focussed on distance, Pellerin noting that the 200m free is covered by the work done for the speed and endurance needed for the 400m.
Italy: Marco Bonifazi, technical director for Italian swimming, has announced a strong squad of 38 for action at European titles in Budapest from August 9 for seven days. '"We have a competitive team, led by swimmers of international experience and including many young athletes ... this team represents the starting point in our work for the World Championships in Shanghai [2011] and the London Olympics [2012]," he told ANSA. The team: Women: Chiara Boggiatto (Nuoto Livorno), Giorgia Consiglio (CC Aniene), Silvia Di Pietro (Forum SC), Erica Ferraioli (Esercito-Forum SC), Alessia Filippi (Aurelia Nuoto Unicusano), Elena Gemo (CC Aniene), Caterina Giacchetti (CC Aniene), Michela Guzzetti (Rane Rosse Aqvasport), Chiara Masini Luccetti (Esseci Nuoto), Federica Pellegrini (CC Aniene), Francesca Segat (Fiamme Gialle-Ispra swim Planet). Men: Marco Belotti (CC Aniene), Niccolò Beni (Fiorentina Nuoto Club), Emiliano Brembilla (Ispra Swim Planet), Andrea Busato (Fiamme Gialle-Plain Team Veneto), Federico Colbertaldo (Fiamme Azzurre-Montebelluna Nuoto), Mirco Di Tora (Fiamme Oro-NC Azzurra 91), Angelo Dioli (Forestale-Geas), Luca Dotto (Forestale-Larus Nuoto), Christian Galenda (Fiamme Gialle-CC Aniene), Edoardo Giorgetti (CC Aniene), Luca Leonardi (Malaspina SC), Damiano Lestingi (CC Aniene), Gianluca Maglia (Ispra Swim Planet), Filippo Magnini (Larus Nuoto), Luca Marin (Ispra Swim Planet), Mattia Nalesso (Carabinieri-Riviera Nuoto Dolo), Marco Orsi (Fiamme Oro-Uisp Bologna), Stefano Pizzamiglio (Malaspina SC), Samuel Pizzetti (Carabinieri-Nuotatori Milanesi), Luca Pizzini (Carabinieri-Fondazione Bentegodi), Sebastiano Ranfagni (Carabinieri-RN Florentia), Cesare Sciocchetti (Carabinieri-Gymnasium Pordenone), Fabio Scozzoli (Esercito-Imolanuoto), Lucio Spadaro (SC Flegreo), Alessandro Terrin (Fiamme Gialle-Aurelia Nuoto Unicusano), Andrea Toniato (Plain Team Veneto), Federico Turrini (Esercito-Nuoto Livorno).
Italy: Fans of swimming in Montecassiano will today get a chance to meet Swedish swim Diva (her tattoo reveals that status) Therese Alshammar after the sprinter has taken part in biomechanical tests for sponsor Arena with experts from Bologna University.
