Alberto Castagnetti

Alberto Castagnetti was a talented freestyle swimmer and a member of the Italian 4x100 metre freestyle relay teams at the 1972 Olympic Games and 1973 World Championships (where Italy finished sixth).

Castagnetti also enjoyed much success as a swimming coach. He was named technical manager of the Italian national team in 1987, coaching swimmers such as Giorgio Lamberti and Roberto Gleria. Under his direction, Lamberti was the world ranked number one in the 200 metre freestyle, and female swimmers Manuela Dalla Valle, Cristina Sossi and Lorenza Vigarani (1994 World Championship medalist), prospered under his watch.

From 1996-2004, Castagnetti coached two-time Olympic breaststroke champion Domenico Fioravanti, the first Italian man to win Olympic gold in swimming, and bronze medalist Emiliano Brembilla. His greatest satisfaction was seeing the Italian 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay team win four consecutive European titles from 2000-06, an Olympic bronze in 2004, and a silver at the 2001 World Championships.

In September 2009, Castagnetti underwent heart surgery, but a month later died in his home in Arbizzano, a hamlet of Negrar, in the province of Verona. The Italian Swimming Federation of Verona was named in his honour, and in May 2013 Castagnetti was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale.