The importance of swimming.

“The life of a sportsman is a very demanding one. It requires dedication, commitment and rigorous training: Focus and being in the zone has a lot to do with it.”

Thomas Ceccon was born in 2001, and while at times he’s considered a diamond in the rough as he’s thought to have a difficult character, yet his determination, makes him the new phenomenon of Italian and international swimming. He is called "the eclectic swimmer”, as Thomas specializes in backstroke and medley relay and officially entered the history of the great world swimmers at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

"Swimming is what makes me wake up in the morning. High performance sport helped me develop determination, discipline, and resilience."

At his Olympic debut he won the silver medal in the 4x100 freestyle relay and the bronze medal in the 4x100 medley relay, which set the Italian record together with his teammates. In Budapest he won the title of World Champion in the 100 m backstroke, which also set a new world record.

How does my diet vary? Depending on the time of year and the appointments on the agenda. In any case, healthy lean animal proteins are essential for building a well-oiled and race-ready machine. Getting to the competitions 100% ready is crucial. A balanced diet guarantees that all the nutrients you need to function at your best are provided. As a rule, I do not follow a predetermined diet program, but I have a nutritionist-coach in my team who advises me on what to eat, and when. If, before becoming an elite athlete, I was less attentive to my diet and ate pretty much everything mindlessly I have now understood, after years of training, how nutrition and a correct and balanced diet affects the physical development and helps prevent muscle injuries as well as improving peak performance and stamina.

At the 2022 European Aquatics Championships in Rome with his ‘water confidence’ and class he won six medals: a gold medal in the 50 m butterfly and 100 backstroke, two more gold medals in the 4x100 m freestyle relay and in the 4x100 m medley relay, two silver medals in the 4x100 m medley and in the 50 m backstroke respectively.

Finding a balance between training, competitions, and other aspects of life, such as family, friends, and my girlfriend is an extremely important aspect of my training: Taking care of myself means being attentive to both physical and mental well-being to avoid burn-outs and maintain stamina."