Italy’s Ginevra Taddeucci, now 29, won bronze in the women’s 10km open water swimming event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Last year she won world silver in the 3km knockout sprint, 5km, 10km and team event. She also won 5km gold and 10m silver plus 5km mixed team relay silver at the European Open Water Swimming Championships in Stari Grad before securing the overall women’s title in the World Aquatics Open Water Cup series.
Looking back now on your Paris 2024 experiences, which do you most clearly recall?
Probably the clearly recollection I have Is the finish of the 10km, touching at the finish and realising what I’ve done.
What do you remember of the Olympic atmosphere and the city? Did it feel different to other competitions?
The Olympic Games has a different atmosphere. It’s a festival of all sport. At other events it is usually only swimming most of time or only open water swimming. in Paris you could meet people from all sports and share your experience with everyone.
How different as an athlete and a person do you think you are heading into Paris 2026 compared to Paris 2024?
Paris was the point of start for my career as an athlete. Since then I have continued to grow into a mature athlete.
How much of a confidence booster was it to come away from last year’s World Championships with silver medals in every competition you entered?
I’m still the same Ginevra! I’m happy for the four medals but my confidence wasn’t boosted by that. Open water is not like pool swimming – every competition is different. It is not only a sport of condition but also of situation.
What are your ambitions for Paris 2026?
My ambition Is to have fun in Paris and to do my best in every event in which I take part.
How significant will the Paris 2026 Championships be for you in terms of a marker on the route to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics?
In open water every competition Is a step towards the next events. So these European Championships will be an opportunity for growing ahead of next events like the world championships.
Were you able to have friends and family watching you in Paris? If so, how special was that and will it happen again this summer?
Yes – I had my family and my boyfriend watching me when I competed In Paris. I think it will probably be the same this summer.
Did you have much chance to experience Paris as a city in 2024? Any particular places/scenes that resonated strongly? What will be on your city wishlist this summer?
I didn’t have much chance to experience Paris in 2024. When I am there in the summer I hope to see again the Alexander III bridge where we had the Olympic medal ceremony.
I also hope to re-visit the Eiffel Tower with my boyfriend. We had o leave soon after competition in 2024 and we didn’t have the chance to take pictures there together…
Open water swimming at the European Aquatics Championships Paris 2026 will take place from August 4 to 8.
Mike Rowbottom for European Aquatics
