07/26/2021 9:38 AM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 07/26/2021 9:54 AM
Argentine swimmer Delfina Pignatiello had a lackluster performance on Monday in her Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games. She came eighth in the 1,500-meter qualifying rounds won from end to end by American Kathy Ledecky, who seems to have run out of blood the eye after losing the final of the 400 meters freestyle against the Australian Ariarne Titmus.
Pignatiello used a time of 16m33s69, a long way from Ledecky's mark, who completed the test in 15m35s35.
And also very far from his best time, the one he achieved in June 2019 and allowed him to take over the South American record with 15m51s68.
"It was a very fast series. With the Olympic record holder. It was a very tough series.
Nerves were not on my side
. It was my first Olympic experience, I know I will have revenge. I enjoyed it as much as possible, although things did not go as they wanted. ", the sanisidrense analyzed as soon as she left the pool of the Tokyo Aquatic Center.
Ledecky smiles with the Chinese Wang, who came second.
And he added: "I went many months without swimming due to the pandemic, unlike my rivals.
I was left with the fact that I overcame a lot of barriers in life, not with what happened in this race
. Now I am another athlete. I will improve what I have. I have to improve when all this is over. Yesterday I was a little anxious. And today I was trying to calm down a bit. I have 800 left. "
Pignatiello, who went a long time without training in the times of total confinement during the first months of the pandemic, was once again far from his best records.
In this Monday's competition he kept pace in the first 250 meters, but little by little he was delayed until he was in last place.
Ledecky, the world record holder with a time of 15m20s48, was escorted by China's Jianjiahe Wang, who reached the finish line six seconds later.
Chilean Kristel Kobrich, who was beaten by Pignatiello on several occasions, finished sixth with a time of 16s09m09.
Look also
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games medal table: minute by minute, live
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, day 3: minute by minute, live
