CON-X 2023, the Italian Baseball and Softball Convention, continues with the tradition of incorporating sport legends from other disciplines by welcoming swimming icons Matteo Giunta and Federica Pellegrini to the stage at Palacongressi di Rimini on Friday afternoon, January 27, 2023.
Immediately following presentations from Mauro Berruto and Gian Paolo Montali, 'Boscia' Tanjevic and 'Lollo' Bernardi, Matteo Giunta in the company of his wife Federica Pellegrini will special guest at CON-X. They will examine the relationship between the coach and the athlete in an interview hosted by Matteo Gandini on the Palacongressi di Rimini stage. All topics-- ranging from the daily commitment to the stress of competition as well comparing opinions to studying opponents and more will be shared with the CON-X audience. This will be not only an engaging discussion on coaching and performing at the highest level, but also give insight on providing tools for individuals to achieve success in different capacities.
Matteo Giunta is one of the most qualified swimming coaches in Italy. His name is inevitably linked to Federica Pellegrini, who became his wife last summer after serving as her coach in 2014. She has won World Cup medals in 2014 and 2015 as well as a medal at the 2016 European Championships. However, her biggest feat was at the 2017 world championship in Budapest, where she triumphed in a historic final of the 200m freestyle and became the world champion after beating American Katie Ledecky. Federica Pellegrini finished her illustrious career at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Matteo Giunta began his working as a swimming instructor for the Olympic 2000 and Club Med companies. He joined Andrea Di Nino's ADN Swim Project at the age of 26 as an assistant coach. In 2009 he served as a coach for the German national team at the World Championships in Rome. Two years later he was the manager for Kenya in the World Championships and later at the London Olympic Games.
Matteo Giunta joined Team Italy as an athletic trainer in 2009 and led his cousin, champion Filippo Magnini, to great success. They represented the Azzurri squad at the 2012 World Championships in Istanbul. Since 2014, Matteo Giunta has been a permanent member of the Team Italy staff. He is now responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Alberto Castagnetti Federal Center in Verona, where he has mentored both young and experienced swimmers. Those include Ilaria Cusinato, who won bronze at the 2022 European Championships in Rome after participating in the Tokyo Olympics.
Matteo Giunta helped swimmers Luca Pizzini and Carlotta Zofkova achieve European bronze in Glasgow during the 2018 international competition in the 200m breaststroke and 100m backstroke. In addition, through his work with the ADN Swim Project, he has propelled international athletes Milorad Cavic, Evgeny Korotyshkin and Sergey Fesikov to stardom. Matteo Giunta subsequently won the 2019 Federnuoto Coach of the Year Award.
Federica Pellegrini, nicknamed La Divina, is undoubtedly the greatest Italian swimmer in history and the most experienced in the sport. In fact, she took part in five Olympic events: the first in 2004 when she was 16 and won the silver medal in the 200m freestyle to become the youngest Italian athlete to climb an individual Olympic podium. Four years later, at the 2008 Beijing Games, she won the gold medal in that same event, giving Italy the first women's Olympic success in the swimming history. At the Tokyo Olympics, she became the first swimmer ever to participate in five different Olympic finals of the same specialty.
Originally from Mirano, but a habitual resident of Spinea, Federica Pellegrini was destined for greatness at a young age. At the age of six, she began competing under the supervision of coach Massimiliano Di Mito, who worked with her until 2006 when he passed on the responsibility to coach Alberto Castagnetti.
During her incredible career, Federica Pellegrini has set 11 world records, the first being at the 2007 Melbourne World Championships. She still holds the record in the 200m as well as the European record in the 400m freestyle, Her records are countless: she was world champion of the 200 and 400 meters freestyle both in 2009 and 2011, becoming the first swimmer capable of consecutively winning the title in both distances in two different editions of the event. At the World Championships, she has won four gold medals, 3 silver medals and one bronze won in eight different editions from as early as the Montréal 2005 event to Gwangju 2019 competition. In fact, she has always climbed on the podium in 200 freestyle event
Swimming World Magazine elected her 'Swimmer of the Year' in 2009 and 'European Swimmer of the Year' in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Federica Pellegrini is current member of the IOC and coperates with the Italian Olympic Committee. Forza #Italia!
by Marco Landi and Roberto Angotti
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(Photo of Matteo Giunta and Federica Pellegrini)
