ITALY’S Giorgio Lamberti as told by his family doctor to take up swimming at the age of six because he was too weak and weedy. It was shrewed advice.
Now 20, the powerful shouldered, handsome Italian became the world’s fastest swimmer over 200 m on his way to three gold medals in three days at this week’s European champion ships.
Afte a disappointing Olympic Games last year plagued by illness and training problems, the Italian eclipsed the 200 freestyle world mark set by Australian Duncan Armstrong in Seoul to win the European title in 1m 46.69s.
The following day he swam a blistering relay leg to steer Italy to victory in the 4 x 200 m freestyle final before taking the 100 freestyle title by almost a second with a European record of 49.248.
Bonus: “This is just the start,” he said. “My target is to get better and better, with the 1992 Olympics in mind. I’m surprised though. I came here to win the 200 m. The other gold medals were a bonus.”
Lamberti’s preparations for last year’s Olympics were upset by final examinations at school and kidney problems. Touted to win by some of his main rivals before the games, he crashed out in the heats of the 200m freestyle.
The Brescia-born swimmer has now left school and concentrates virtually all of his time on swimming — apart from a part-time pen chant for billiards.
“Seoul as a disappointment but in a way it has spurred me on to train harder,” he said.
“1 don’t work or study at all now. Most of my life is swimming but I love spending time with my family and sneaking out with friends for the odd game on the billiards table.”
Lamberti’s training routine is now carefully prepared to the final de tail. He often trains at high altitude which he said helped him to his record-breaking performances in Bonn.
“I’m much more clever with my training now. I know when to push hard and when to ease off,” he said.
In the pool, Lamberti oozes with confidence with a relaxed style that often looks effortless.
Out of the pool, his lean body, bright brown eyes and brown hair, tinted at the front with blond streaks, are not the signs of a man who would have problems squashing a grape.
But the Italian admits he did not like swimming at first.
“I started at six because the doctor said so. I didn’t realy like it much,” he said. “The interest came when I started to see that my times were fast.”
After his recent world record the Italian has very little fear of his opponents. “When I feel good. I don’t think about the other swimmers. I just swim my own race,” he said.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 20, 1989
