The 2nd and 6th of August were the dates of the 2023 Junior Artistic Swimming Championships. This serves as a platform for the top European talents aged from the years 15 to 20 to showcase their skills in swimming. This championship is divided into several events. These events range from solo routines to team routines and duet routines. Therefore, it is one of the most prominent championships for young swimmers.
After a dry spell since 2007, Greece finally won gold in the Duet Free competition with an exemplary score of 179.6146. While Italy scored the silver medal, Ukraine secured a bronze. Meanwhile, Spain managed to defend its crown in the mixed duet-free final, but one of the most iconic moments was yet to come.
16-year-old Filippo Pelati from Italy maintained his impressive run with another gold. Even though getting placed in the Italian team just a year back, Filipo has already represented his country thrice in international championships. However, little did Filipo know this journey to the podium would be more iconic than his victory.
In a recent video shared on social media by the European Aquatics organization, LEN, we could see the 16-year-old champion making his way to the podium amidst the rows of cheering. However, as he was about to reach the podium, his phone fell from his unzipped pocket and into the pool. While everyone at the award ceremony was quite shocked, the 16-year-old looked unfazed.
He simply shrugged and offered a thumbs up, and went on to receive his gold medal. After the award ceremony, one of Pelati’s competitors retrieved the phone and handed it to the winner. After a moment of wait, Pelati confirmed that his phone was functional and there was nothing to worry about. For more sports-related content, keep following our page.
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