Federica Pellegrini
Federica Pellegrini Grande Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian retired swimmer. A native of Mirano, in the former province of Venice , she won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At the 2009 World Championships in Rome Pellegrini became the first woman ever to break the 4-minute barrier in the 400 m freestyle with a time of 3:59.15. She also held the women's 200 meters freestyle world record.
Pellegrini is the only swimmer male or female to have won eight medals in a row in the same event (200 meters freestyle) at the World Championships. She is also the first female Olympic swimming champion from Italy and the only Italian swimmer to have set world records in more than one event. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, she became the first female swimmer to qualify for five consecutive Olympic finals in the same specialty (200 m freestyle). She is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Pellegrini retired from active competition in 2021. She was nicknamed "La Divina" ("The Divine") by Italian sport journalists.
Pellegrini is the only swimmer male or female to have won eight medals in a row in the same event (200 meters freestyle) at the World Championships. She is also the first female Olympic swimming champion from Italy and the only Italian swimmer to have set world records in more than one event. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, she became the first female swimmer to qualify for five consecutive Olympic finals in the same specialty (200 m freestyle). She is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Pellegrini retired from active competition in 2021. She was nicknamed "La Divina" ("The Divine") by Italian sport journalists.
