Ilaria Scarella, Silvia Di Pietro and Mattia Nalesso set Italian records on the second day of nationals in Pescara, where seven men swam 200m free between 1:47.20 and  1:47.90 to keep alive hopes of a 4x200m free medal for the host nation at the world championships in Rome in July.

Scarella, 16 this year, clocked 1:06.99 in the semi-final of the 100m breaststroke, an effort that skipped the 1:07s for her personal progress and that of Italy. The national record had stood to at 1:08.09 to Chiara Boggiatto since April. Scarcella was not below 1:10 last year and this year had set a best time of 1:08.63, in March, after a heats time of 1:08.99 at the same meet. Boggiatto also raced inside previous best, on 1:07.75 in semis. No idea what they wore but at this moment of woe in swimming history, you can bet it contributed to the result.

The Italian 100m fly record had stood at 52.66 to Lorenzo Benatti for the past few weeks. Before that, the mark had stood at 52.77 to Nalesso, 28 this year, since 2005. Nalesso hit back with a 52.49 victory in Pescara, ahead of Benatti, who also raced inside the previous Italian mark, with a 52.59 that kept at bay Rudy Goldin, 25, on 52.73, who has raced inside his lifetime best this year for the first time since a 53.11 effort in 2006.

In the 50m butterfly final, Di Pietro sliced 0.13sec off her national mark to win in a 26.10 national record ahead of Elena Gemo, on 26.54. Gemo later took the 100m backstroke crown in 1:01.10, 0.21sec shy of her national mark and ahead of Valentina De Nardi, on 1:02.34, with Federica Pellegrini, Olympic champion and world record holder in the 200m free, racing off event for this in 1:02.63.

The men's 100m breaststroke semis saw four men race below 1:01. The leaders were Mattia Pesce, 21 this year, on 1:00.65 (pre-2009 best, 1:01.96) and Luca Pizzini, 20 this year, on 1:00.77 (1:01.67), the followers

Edoardo Giorgetti, 20 this year, on 1:00.83 (1:01.71), Fabio Scozzoli, 21 this year, on 1:00.89 (1:02.09) and Loris Facci, on 1:01.17 (1:01.50).

The 200m free final for men produced a blanket finish with victory going to Gianluca Maglia, 21 this year, on 1:47.20 (1:50.33 in 2008). He was followed by Marco Belotti, on 1:47.22 (1:49.06), Emiliano Brembilla, 1:47.37, Damiano Lestingi, 20 this year, on 1:47.38 (1:49.69), 2000 Olympic 200m medley champion Massimiliano Rosolino, on 1:47.64, Cesare Sciocchetti, 20 this year, on 1:47.80 (1:49.73), and Nicola Cassio, on 1:47.90. Suits will be playing a part, as they are in almost all racing right now, but Italy's legacy of producing strong 4x200m freestyle teams is alive and kicking.

In the 50m backstroke, Mirco Di Tora fell just 0.01sec shy of his national record for the win in 25.00, ahead of Enrico Catalano, 26, on 25.37. Catalano had a pre-2009 best of 26.02 and a 26.24 best from 2008 season.

In the heats of the 400m medley, 20-year-old Luca Diolo went through to lane four of the final in 4:14.75, ahead of Italy's established medal hopes in that event, Alessio Boggiatto, 4:14.86, and Luca Marin, on 4:15.46. Dioli entered this year with a lifetime best of 4:23.18.

Meanwhile, negotiations are underway to resolve the crisis over the facilities for the world championships in July. Today it transpired that the Foro Italico main competition pool is indeed at the heart of the problem: when TV reporters stopped by the pool and asked workers when they were aiming to get the improvement works on the pool in place, they replied: "sometime in 2010". A bit too late for Roma 2009. The Italian media is now asking: where is the taxpayers' money that was donated to the event in Rome partly for a big upgrade of the Foro Italico facility, much of which has not taken place, according to politicians and others reported in the Italian media today. The Salaria Sport Village complex, to be used for the world championships, was seized by police working on orders from the public prosecutor earlier this week.

FINA's executive meets in emergency session in Lausanne on Friday to discuss suits and concerns over what events in Rome mean for the world championships in July.