The Italy National Diving Team has won the opening medal of the Paris 2026 European Aquatics Championships, claiming gold in the mixed team event on the first day of competition—a result that national technical director Oscar Bertone is positioning as a critical springboard toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle.
The European Aquatics Championships, held every two years, are the continent's premier swimming competition outside the Olympics and World Championships.
Why This Matters
• Generational shift underway: Italy's coaching staff is betting on athletes under 25 to anchor the next Olympic campaign.
• Chiara Pellacani's five-medal mission: The 23-year-old has publicly pledged to win a medal in every event she enters—and is now 1-for-5.
• Raffaele Pelligra's arrival: The 17-year-old from Rome, in his senior debut, delivered under pressure and is now on the radar for Los Angeles 2028.
• Medal haul begins: Italy closed day one atop the provisional standings with 1 gold and 1 silver, ahead of pool swimming events starting August 10.
Gold in the Team Event
The quartet of Chiara Pellacani, Matteo Santoro, Sarah Jodoin Di Maria, and Raffaele Pelligra posted a combined score of 410.60 points in the team event final, finishing more than 24 points clear of the Russian squad competing as Neutral Athletes B (385.80). Ukraine claimed bronze by just 0.15 points over Poland.
Pellacani opened Italy's campaign with a 2.5-somersault forward pike from the springboard that earned 69.75 points, establishing early momentum. Santoro's reverse 2.5 was slightly over-rotated, allowing the Russian team to briefly take the lead. But the duo—who are reigning world champions in synchronized springboard—regrouped in their synchro routine, and Jodoin Di Maria's flawless vertical handstand dive pushed Italy back ahead.
The highest-stakes moment fell to Pelligra, the youngest member of the squad, who was called up to replace an injured teammate and was making his first appearance at a major senior championship. The teenager responded with a clean inward 2.5 somersault tuck from the 10-meter platform that scored 74.25, the highest individual mark of the round. His final dive alongside Jodoin Di Maria sealed the gold.
Bertone's Gamble on Youth
Italy's technical director described Pelligra's selection as "the winning bet" and praised the teenager's composure under scrutiny. "Raffaele found the serenity to express himself at his best," Bertone told reporters. "I told him not to worry—everyone makes mistakes. But he didn't make any."
Bertone emphasized that the Paris championships are serving as a proving ground for the 2028 cycle. "These are all very young athletes who need this kind of experience—winning medals," he said. "Starting like this is fantastic and very important for the squad and the entire environment."
Italy's diving roster for Paris skews young: Pelligra is 17, Pellacani turns 24 this month, and Jodoin Di Maria and Santoro are also under 26. The federation's strategy is to accelerate international experience for athletes who will be in or near their athletic prime in Los Angeles.
Pelligra: From Youth Champion to Senior Podium
Born December 4, 2008, Pelligra is a platform specialist coached by Michele Benedetti and affiliated with M.R. Sport in Rome. He won gold in synchronized 10-meter platform at the 2024 World Junior Championships in Rio de Janeiro alongside Simone Conte, and took bronze in individual platform at the 2026 European Youth Championships in Budapest.
His debut at senior level exceeded expectations. "I'm happy with how this experience went—it's completely different and more satisfying than the junior events," Pelligra said after the final. He will return to competition on Friday, August 1, in individual platform events.
Federation officials have identified him as possessing "the technical qualities of a sure talent," and his participation in the February 2026 "Los Angeles 2028 Cup"—a domestic selection event—signals he is already part of the Olympic preparation pathway. At 19 years old in 2028, he will be entering the age bracket when many divers reach peak form.
Pellacani's Five-Medal Quest Begins
For Chiara Pellacani, the team gold is the first installment in a public commitment she made before the championships: to win five medals in five events. The veteran of the squad—despite being just 23—is entered in the 1-meter springboard, 3-meter springboard, 3-meter synchronized, mixed 3-meter synchronized, and the team event (already complete).
"There couldn't have been a better start," Pellacani said. "I'm proud and happy with my teammates." Her next opportunity comes on Saturday, August 2, when she competes in individual springboard.
Pellacani's opening dive—a forward 2.5 somersault with pike—set the tone for Italy's performance, and her synchro partnership with Santoro, honed over years of training since childhood, provided a stabilizing force in the middle rounds. She and Santoro are the reigning world champions in their discipline, a title they will defend later in the week.
Pelati Takes Silver in Artistic Swimming
Italy's second medal of the opening day came from Filippo Pelati, a 19-year-old from Ferrara who earned silver in the men's solo technical routine with a score of 241.7008. Performing to a Freddie Mercury medley, Pelati finished 8 points behind Britain's Ranjuo Tomblin but 6 points clear of Russia's Zakhar Trofimov, who took bronze.
The result replicates Pelati's silver from the 2025 European Championships in Funchal, confirming his status as one of the continent's leading male artistic swimmers. His performance was the highlight of an otherwise quiet evening for Italy's artistic swimming contingent: Enrica Piccoli and Lucrezia Ruggiero placed fifth in the women's duet technical final.
Pelati will compete again on Friday, August 1, in the mixed duet free final alongside Ruggiero, and later in the solo free events.
What This Means for Residents
For Italians tracking national sporting achievements, the Paris championships represent more than a medal count—they are a live audition for the next Olympic team. The Italy Swimming Federation (FIN) has structured the event as a talent filter, giving young athletes high-pressure experience while maintaining competitive standards.
Matteo Santoro will contest the 1-meter springboard on Saturday, a non-Olympic event that nonetheless offers him a chance to build confidence ahead of the 3-meter competitions later in the week. The diving schedule runs through August 8, with platform and springboard synchro events spread across the program.
Pool swimming—traditionally Italy's strongest discipline at European level—does not begin until August 10, meaning the medal tally will shift substantially in the second week. The aquatics center in Paris is hosting all diving and artistic swimming events, with high diving from the Seine scheduled for August 7–8.
Provisional Medal Standings
After three finals on day one (July 31), Italy leads the medal table with 1 gold and 1 silver. The breakdown:
• Gold: Mixed team event (diving)
• Silver: Men's solo technical (artistic swimming)
Russia (competing as Neutral Athletes B) and Ukraine follow with one medal each. The standings will remain fluid as the championships expand to include more events over the next two weeks.
Looking Ahead
Friday's schedule includes preliminaries for the men's 1-meter springboard at noon, with Santoro and Lorenzo Marsaglia representing Italy. The final is set for 21:20 local time. The women's 10-meter synchronized platform final at 20:00 will feature Sarah Jodoin Di Maria, who will be looking to add to her team gold.
In artistic swimming, the mixed duet free final at 16:00 will see Pelati and Ruggiero perform together, followed by the women's duet free final with Piccoli and Ruggiero at 17:30.
The championships run through August 16, with Italy fielding full rosters across diving, artistic swimming, and pool events. Live coverage is available on RaiSport HD, Sky Sport, and streaming via RaiPlay and European Aquatics TV.
