PARIS – Italy finished the European Open Water Swimming Championships with a silver medal. In the final event of the program on the Seine, the 4x1500-meter medley relay, Germany won in 1:03:39.2, ahead of Italy in 1:03:41.3. Hungary rounded out the podium in 1:03:42.4.
Another medal for the Italian quartet of Barbara Pozzobon, Ginevra Taddeucci, Marcello Guidi, and Gregorio Paltrinieri, the reigning world runner-up. A team capable of competing for gold until the last stroke. Pozzobon kept Italy among the top swimmers, Taddeucci put in a monumental second leg, Guidi fought back, and Paltrinieri attempted to complete a comeback that at times seemed impossible.
All the favored quartets chose a woman to start the race: Barbara Pozzobon for Italy, Julia Ackermann for Germany, and Bettina Fabian for Hungary. The only team to choose a man was Turkey, with Emir Albayrak building a significant lead. Pozzobon did well, gradually climbing and moving into third place by the end of the first leg. Germany entrusted the second leg to Isabel Gose, and Hungary to Viktoria Mihalyvari Farkas. Gose started strongly and immediately retook the lead, but Taddeucci stayed in the German's slipstream and responded blow for blow, while the Hungarian acted as a springboard behind them. Thus, the trio announced beforehand was formed: Germany, Italy, and Hungary. The three favorites for the podium pulled away from the rest of the field and began a race within the race. At the end of the second leg, Taddeucci made a breakthrough, further increasing her pace just before the exchange, putting Italy in the lead. Then it's Marcello Guidi's turn. Oliver Klemet enters the water for Germany, and Kristof Rasovszky for Hungary. Already during the underwater phase of the exchange, the German takes the lead. Klemet emerges in front and immediately tries to set a new pace for the race. Guidi has to react, while Rasovszky breaks the deadlock and moves ahead of the Italian. Guidi and Rasovszky block each other, and Klemet takes advantage. The German opens up a gap, building a lead that reaches about ten seconds. It's a very important breakaway, because at the fourth exchange, Florian Wellbrock is there for Germany. Klemet finishes his leg in 15:10.4, bringing Germany to 48:09.4 after 4.5 kilometers. Hungary is second at 8.1 seconds, and Italy is third at 10.4 seconds.
When Gregorio Paltrinieri enters the water, on the other side are Wellbrock and Betlehem, the latter fresh from his victory in the 3K knockout sprint. Halfway through the final leg, the three leading nations are in close contact. In the final rush, Betlehem and Paltrinieri attack Wellbrock together. The German, however, responds strongly and remains in the lead. With the finish line just around the corner, Paltrinieri finds the energy to launch his final assault. The Italian manages to push Italy back into second place and sets off in pursuit of Germany, who, however, remain ahead by just two seconds.
