Federica Pellegrini facts for kids

Pellegrini in 2009
Quick facts for kids Personal information
Nickname(s)	la Divina
Born	(1988-08-05) 5 August 1988 (age 37) Mirano, Italy
Height	1.79 m
Weight	65 kg
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	Circolo Canottieri Aniene
Coach	Matteo Giunta
Medal record Women's swimming Representing Italy International podiums Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 1 0 World Championships (LC) 6 4 1 World Championships (SC) 1 2 5 European Championships (LC) 7 6 7 European Championships (SC) 7 4 6 Universiade 2 1 1 Mediterranean Games 2 0 0 By individual race Event 1st 2nd 3rd 200 m freestyle 17 7 1 400 m freestyle 5 2 4 800 m freestyle 1 1 1 By relay race Event 1st 2nd 3rd 4 × 50 m freestyle 1 0 2 4 × 100 m freestyle 0 3 3 4 × 200 m freestyle 2 1 3 4 × 50 m medley 0 1 2 4 × 100 m medley 0 0 2 4 × 50 m mixed freestyle 0 0 1 4 × 100 m mixed freestyle 0 1 1 4 × 200 m mixed freestyle 0 1 0 4 × 100 m mixed medley 0 1 0 Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing 200 m freestyle Silver 2004 Athens 200 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 2009 Rome 200 m freestyle Gold 2009 Rome 400 m freestyle Gold 2011 Shanghai 200 m freestyle Gold 2011 Shanghai 400 m freestyle Gold 2017 Budapest 200 m freestyle Gold 2019 Gwangju 200 m freestyle Silver 2005 Montreal 200 m freestyle Silver 2013 Barcelona 200 m freestyle Silver 2015 Kazan 200 m freestyle Silver 2015 Kazan 4 × 200 m freestyle Bronze 2007 Melbourne 200 m freestyle World Championships (SC) Gold 2016 Windsor 200 m freestyle Silver 2006 Shanghai 200 m freestyle Silver 2016 Windsor 4 × 100 m freestyle Bronze 2006 Shanghai 400 m freestyle Bronze 2010 Dubai 400 m freestyle Bronze 2014 Doha 4 × 100 m freestyle Bronze 2016 Windsor 4 × 50 m freestyle Bronze 2018 Hangzhou 4 × 100 m medley European Championships (LC) Gold 2008 Eindhoven 400 m freestyle Gold 2010 Budapest 200 m freestyle Gold 2012 Debrecen 200 m freestyle Gold 2012 Debrecen 4 × 200 m freestyle Gold 2014 Berlin 200 m freestyle Gold 2014 Berlin 4 × 200 m freestyle Gold 2016 London 200 m freestyle Silver 2008 Eindhoven 4 × 100 m freestyle Silver 2016 London 4 × 100 m freestyle Silver 2016 London 4 × 100 m mixed freestyle Silver 2016 London 4 × 100 m mixed medley Silver 2020 Budapest 4 × 200 m mixed freestyle Silver 2020 Budapest 200 m freestyle Bronze 2008 Eindhoven 4 × 200 m freestyle Bronze 2010 Budapest 800 m freestyle Bronze 2012 Debrecen 4 × 100 m freestyle Bronze 2014 Berlin 4 × 100 m freestyle Bronze 2020 Budapest 4 × 200 m freestyle Bronze 2020 Budapest 4 × 100 m mixed freestyle Bronze 2020 Budapest 4 × 100 m medley European Championships (SC) Gold 2005 Trieste 200 m freestyle Gold 2008 Rijeka 200 m freestyle Gold 2009 Istanbul 200 m freestyle Gold 2010 Eindhoven 800 m freestyle Gold 2013 Herning 200 m freestyle Gold 2015 Netanya 200 m freestyle Gold 2015 Netanya 4 × 50 m freestyle Silver 2006 Helsinki 400 m freestyle Silver 2007 Debrecen 400 m freestyle Silver 2019 Glasgow 200 m freestyle Silver 2019 Glasgow 4 × 50 m medley Bronze 2005 Trieste 400 m freestyle Bronze 2008 Rijeka 4 × 50 m medley Bronze 2010 Eindhoven 4 × 50 m medley Bronze 2011 Szczecin 4 × 50 m freestyle Bronze 2013 Herning 400 m freestyle Bronze 2017 Copenhagen 4 × 50 m mixed freestyle Universiade Gold 2007 Bangkok 200 m freestyle Gold 2007 Bangkok 400 m freestyle Silver 2007 Bangkok 800 m freestyle Bronze 2007 Bangkok 4 × 200 m freestyle Mediterranean Games Gold 2009 Pescara 400 m freestyle Gold 2009 Pescara 4 × 100 m freestyle National championships Event 1st 2nd 3rd Absolute 24 6 4 Spring 66 15 9 Winter 39 15 2

Federica Pellegrini is a famous Italian swimmer who retired in 2021. She was born on August 5, 1988, in Mirano, Italy. People often called her "La Divina," which means "The Divine" in Italian, because of her amazing talent in the pool.

Federica made history at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by winning a gold medal. She was the first Italian woman to win an Olympic swimming gold. She also became the first woman to swim the 400-meter freestyle race in under 4 minutes! She held the world record for the 200-meter freestyle for a long time.

She is the only swimmer, male or female, to win eight medals in a row in the same event (200-meter freestyle) at the World Championships. Federica is also the only Italian swimmer to set world records in more than one event. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, she became the first female swimmer to reach five Olympic finals in a row for the 200-meter freestyle. She is now a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Federica's Swimming Journey

Early Olympic Success

Federica Pellegrini first showed her talent on the world stage at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. She was only 16 years old when she won a silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle. This made her the youngest Italian ever to win an Olympic medal in an individual sport.

World Championships Medals

In 2005, Federica won another silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle at the World Championships in Montreal. Two years later, at the 2007 World Championships, she set her first world record in the 200-meter freestyle during the semi-finals. However, her rival, Laure Manaudou, broke that record the next day in the final, where Federica won a bronze medal.

Breaking World Records in 2008

Federica won her first gold medal in a major long course (50-meter pool) event at the 2008 European Championships in Eindhoven. She set a new world record in the 400-meter freestyle.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she was expected to win the 400-meter freestyle but finished fifth. However, she quickly bounced back! On the same day, she set a new world record in the 200-meter freestyle heats. In the final, she broke her own record again and won her first Olympic gold medal.

She also showed her strength in short course (25-meter pool) events. At the 2008 European Short Course Championships, she won gold in the 200-meter freestyle with another world record.

Historic Wins at 2009 World Championships

Pellegrini at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships

The 2009 World Championships in Rome were very special for Federica. She broke the world record in the 400-meter freestyle with a time of 3:59.15. This made her the first woman ever to swim this distance in under 4 minutes! She also won gold in the 200-meter freestyle, breaking her own world record again.

Continued Success and Challenges

At the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, Federica won gold in both the 400-meter and 200-meter freestyle events. She was the first female swimmer to win the 200-meter freestyle title at two World Championships in a row.

The 2012 Summer Olympics in London were tough for Federica. She finished fifth in both the 400-meter and 200-meter freestyle races. After the Olympics, she decided to try a new event, the 200-meter backstroke. However, she later changed her mind and competed in the 200-meter freestyle at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships. She won a silver medal, showing her amazing comeback.

In 2014, at the 2014 European Aquatics Championships, she won two more gold medals in the 200-meter freestyle and the 4 × 200-meter freestyle relay.

Making History in 2015 and 2017

Pellegrini during the medal ceremony at Kazan 2015

At the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Federica won silver in the 200-meter freestyle. This made her the first female swimmer to win a medal in the same event at six World Championships in a row!

In 2016, she won the 200-meter freestyle at the European Championships in London. She was also the flagbearer for Italy at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Although she finished fourth in the 200-meter final, she later won her first gold medal in the 200-meter freestyle at the World Short Course Championships.

At the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Federica won gold in the 200-meter freestyle. This was a huge win, as she beat Katie Ledecky, who had rarely lost before. This gold medal meant she had won a medal in the same event at seven World Championships in a row, a record for any swimmer!

Final Years of Competition

After her amazing win in 2017, Federica took a break from her usual intense training. She focused on other events like the 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke.

In 2019, Federica won her fourth gold medal in the 200-meter freestyle at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju. This was her eighth medal in the same event at the World Championships, making her the swimmer with the most podium finishes in a single event.

In May 2021, at the European Championships in Budapest, she won two silver medals and three bronze medals in various freestyle and medley relay events. At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, she reached the final of the 200-meter freestyle. This made her the second swimmer in history, after Michael Phelps, to qualify for the final of the same event five times.

Federica Pellegrini officially retired from professional swimming in November 2021.

Life Outside the Pool

Public Recognition

In August 2015, a part of the Lungomare delle Stelle in Jesolo, Italy, was named after Federica Pellegrini. Her handprints were also placed in the city's Kursaal museum.

Television Appearances

Federica has appeared on several TV shows.

• From 2019 to 2022, she was a judge on the talent show Italia's Got Talent.
• In 2021, she co-hosted some episodes of Le Iene.
• In October 2022, she was a contestant on Peking Express with her husband, Matteo Giunta.
• In September 2024, she participated in "Ballando con le Stelle," Italy's version of Dancing with the Stars.

Personal Life

Federica Pellegrini was in a relationship with fellow swimmer Filippo Magnini from 2011 to 2016. She later became engaged to her long-time coach, Matteo Giunta, in October 2021. They got married on August 27, 2022, in Venice. On January 3, 2024, they welcomed their baby girl, Matilde.

Federica's Best Times

Federica Pellegrini holds 3 European records and 16 Italian national records. Here are some of her best times:

Event	Long course (year)	Short course (year)
50 m freestyle	24.92 (2019)	24.55 (2017)
100 m freestyle	53.18 (2016)	52.10 (2019)
200 m freestyle	1:52.98 (2009)	1:51.17 (2009)
400 m freestyle	3:59.15 (2009)	3:57.59 (2011)
800 m freestyle	8:24.99 (2010)	8:15.20 (2010)
50 m backstroke	28.53 (2018)	30.01 (2003)
100 m backstroke	1.00.03 (2018)	57.55 (2018)
200 m backstroke	2:08.05 (2013)	2:03.75 (2013)
50 m butterfly	28.46 (2015)	28.59 (2005)
100 m butterfly	1:00.17 (2015)	1:00.39 (2015)
200 m butterfly	2:12.96 (2015)	2:08.69 (2013)
100 m medley		1:04.62 (2003)
200 m medley	2:17.25 (2009)	2:12.20 (2015)
4 × 50 m freestyle relay		1:35.61 (2016)
4 × 100 m freestyle relay	3:35.90 (2016)	3:29.48 (2014)
4 × 100 m mixed freestyle relay	3:24.55 (2016)
4 × 200 m freestyle relay	7:46.57 (2009)	7:43.18 (2018)
4 × 200 m mixed freestyle relay	7:32.37 (2018)
4 × 50 m medley relay		1:45.84 (2019)
4 × 100 m medley relay	3:56.50 (2019)	3:51.38 (2018)
4 × 100 m mixed medley relay	3:43.27 (2019)

International Competition Results (50m Pool)

This table shows Federica Pellegrini's results in major international swimming competitions held in 50-meter pools.

     Did not compete

Meet	100 free	200 free	400 free	800 free	200 back	4 × 100 free	4 × 200 free	4 × 100 medley	4 × 100 mixed free	4 × 100 mixed med	4 × 200 mixed free
WC 2003						8th					not scheduled
EC 2004		4th				5th		4th
OG 2004	10th					10th		DSQ(h)
WC 2005	10th							5th
EC 2006		heats				6th	5th	DSQ(h)
WC 2007			5th				13th	10th
EC 2008		DSQ(h)
OG 2008			5th			10th	4th	14th
WC 2009							4th
EC 2010
WC 2011							13th	14th
EC 2012			10th
OG 2012		5th	5th			12th	7th	11th
WC 2013					9th	10th	7th	DSQ(h)
EC 2014			4th							5th
WC 2015						6th			5th
EC 2016							5th
OG 2016		4th				6th	13th	8th
WC 2017	15th					10th		8th	5th	8th
EC 2018	5th					5th		4th	4th	5th
WC 2019	22nd									6th	not scheduled
EC 2021						6th
OG 2021	DNS	7th					DSQ	6th		4th

Pellegrini swam only in the heats

Pellegrini qualified from the heats, but scratched the semi-finals

See also

In Spanish: Federica Pellegrini para niños

• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
• List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women)
• Italian sportswomen multiple medalists at Olympics and World Championships
• Italian swimmers multiple medalists at the international competitions
• World record progression 200 metres freestyle
• World record progression 400 metres freestyle