Thomas Ceccon, the Italian Olympic Champion and World Record holder, is a swimming powerhouse. In an interview with Elle, Ceccon discusses the growth of Italian swimming, the reintroduction of Russian and Belarusian swimmers, and his upcoming European Championships in Paris. Ceccon believes that the Italian swimming movement is growing, despite the return of Russian and Belarusian swimmers. He attributes this growth to the absence of Russian swimmers in recent years, which has allowed Italian swimmers to win more titles. Ceccon is particularly interested in the performance of Kliment Kolesnikov and Miron Lifintsev, who will be competing in the European Championships. He believes that they will be strong competitors, but they will have to prove it after the International Olympic Committee lifted Russia’s suspension. Ceccon also discusses his training in Australia under legendary coach Dean Boxall, where he was very open with everyone, something he never did in Italy. He prefers to have a few friends outside of swimming, rather than being too exposed with his business in the swimming world. Ceccon draws a comparison between American swimmers and Italian swimmers, noting the differences in attitude and relationships. He describes his relationship within the Italian national team as more of a relationship between colleagues, rather than friends. Ceccon is excited about the upcoming European Championships in Paris, where he will be competing against some of the best swimmers in the world. He is looking forward to the challenge and is confident that he will perform well.
