Federica Pellegrini

Federica Pellegrini (born 5 August 1988) is an Italian swimmer. A native of Mirano, in the province of Venice, she is currently the women's 200 m freestyle (long course and short course) and 400 m (long course) freestyle world record holder. At the 2009 World Championships in Rome, Pellegrini became the first woman ever to breach the 4 minute barrier in 400 m freestyle with the time 3:59.15. Pellegrini is the first female Olympic champion in the history of Italian swimming; she is also the only Italian swimmer to have set world records in more than one event.

Medals and world records

Pellegrini's first international podium was at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where she won the silver medal in the 200 m freestyle at the age of 16, becoming the youngest athlete to have ever win an Olympic medal in an individual event in the history of Italian sports.

Pellegrini's first long course gold medal came at the 2008 European Championships in Eindhoven, where she won the 400 m freestyle setting a world record (4:01.53).

At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, she arrived as the world-record holder and favorite for the gold medal in the 400 m freestyle, but only finished 5th in the final. On the same day, she recovered from the disappointment setting a world record in the heats of the 200 m freestyle; in the final, she broke her own world record (1:54.82) and won her first Olympic gold medal.

Pellegrini proved her strength...
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