Tight swimming continued at Italian nationals in Pescara. The women's 200m medley produced the only Italian record of the day, Olympic silver 800m free medal winner Alessia Filippi clocking 2:11.25 ahead of former record holder (2:12.20) Francesca Segat, on 2:13.07.

The men's 200m 'fly witnessed some back-to-form swims at the helm, the win going to Michele Cosentino, in 1:56.97, 0.02sec ahead of Francesco Vespe, who set a national record of 1:56.33 in semis. Vespe, 26, came into 2009 with a last-season best of 1:59.60, his previous lifetime best a 1:57.57 from 2006, while Cosentino, 23, had not swum a best time since a 1:57.72 in 2007.

The 100m 'fly saw six Italian women race below the minute, led by Silvia Di Pietro in a national junior record of 58.90, the only sub-59sec effort, ahead of Caterina Giachetti, on 59.16.

The 200m breaststroke went to Loris Facci in 2:10.49, ahead of Edoardo Giorgetti, on 2:10.54, confining experienced Paolo Bossini to third in 2:11.67.

And from yesterday,  Former world record holder in the 400m free, Federica Pellegrini clocked 4:06.30 in her first fast 400m swim since suffering a "panic attack" that caused her to withdraw from an eight-lap swim a few months back. Her latest effort pleased coach Alberto Castagnetti, according to Italian reports that quote him as saying that post-race science suggested she was not racing under stress and would "go well in Rome" for world championships. 

Pellegrini believed she was on the "right road" to battle back after losing the leadership of the world race to Brits Joanne Jackson and double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington, who will be able to race in their LZRs this summer, while Pellegrini awaits news of whether the Jaked01 will make it back on to FINA's approved suits list after having first been given the thumbs up in June 2008 before an Olympic Games at which it was worn by very few. 

Teenager Ilaria Scarcella took another slice off the national 100m breaststroke record with a 1:06.86 effort, after 1:06.99 in semis, that marks a leap from a pre-championship best two seconds slower.

Samuel Pizzetti held Massimiliano Rosolino at bay, 3:47.14 to 3:47.57, in the 400m free and Luca Pizzini won the 100m breaststroke in 1:00.65, a touch down on 2000 double Olympic champion Domenico Fioravanti's 1:00.46 national mark. Mattia Pesce followed on in 1:00.69, ahead of Fabio Scozzoli, on 1:00.85. 

The 50m free produced a sign-of-the-times win: Federico Bocchia, 23, clocked 21.93, having entered the season with a 22.46 best. His four best times ever have been set March to May this year and coincide with the use of a device that makes it impossible to say how much of the swimmer's improvement is down to hard work.