Italian swimming baby star Galossi: "The pool, the shoes, fishing and I”

Setting a junior world record, being just 16 years old, can only mean two things: that you have a great future – and big pressures – ahead of you , and that the present is not too bad. Italy's Lorenzo Galossi is going for a medal again in the men's 400m freestyle after taking an individual bronze in the 800m freestyle and a silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay. While his teammates were competing, Galossi, accompanied by his coach Christian Minotti (also Simona Quadarella's one), spoke a little about himself, just with regards to stuff not related to the pool.

What are your passions?

“First of all football and the A.S. Roma team, I have fallen in love with Francesco Totti and I hope to meet him soon."

We know also about your love for shoes.

“I would define it as a proper disease instead of love. That's how I spend my money, I have a lot of them and many collectible ones. At home my family is not really happy, but I like them too much."

Do you have a room just for them?

“Not yet. I keep some of them at Aniene (his sport club) in disarray, and some more at home. I always look out for new ones, unreleased collections. Basically, I waste my time on them.”

What’s your favourite dish?

"We're in Rome, and as a true Roman, I would say carbonara: I don't cook, but if I had to make a pasta dish I'd be just fine."

Another hobby of yours is fishing.

"That's true. I go fishing at the lake, I have been going all the way to Umbria, since I was a little boy. I go with my dad and sometimes I used to go with my uncle."

You study at the sports high school, word on the street is that you are very good.

"I can also confirm this. I am 'an important  professor' (laughing). My average grade is 8."

After winning these two European medals you are starting to become a celebrity.

"I have noticed it especially on social media. I use them, though sometimes I think that they are a bit of the bane of youth. Yesterday, I was talking about it with my teammate Luca Dotto: he has put a setting to close them after two hours of use. I can use them up to 4-5 hours."

In addition to social media, there is training.

"Yes, when we do double sessions, I am in the pool two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon. The gym? Not during competition time; otherwise twice a week for an hour, an hour and a half."

What can and do you want to achieve? Paltrinieri said you are not the future, but the present.

"I hope to be both the present and the future, day by day, just by carrying on working."

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