Chiara Pellacani: “Five gold medals at the European Championships, then the phone call from Giorgia Meloni”. The interview with the blue queen of diving

Five golds in one edition of the European Championships, something never seen before. Are you aware of the company?

“My coach Tommaso Marconi and I said it shortly before leaving: ‘Why don’t we try to win all the races?’. In the end we succeeded, but I lived everything day by day, one step at a time. Without putting too much pressure on myself.”

In two years she went from the most complicated moment of her career to the most beautiful. What has changed?

“The Paris Olympics, with the bitterness for those two fourth places, are only part of my journey. They helped me to grow, to understand many things and to have more awareness of myself as an athlete. They were a new starting point. After the Games I needed a break, I had to recover on a mental level. For a period I also devoted myself to boxing. Then I started training again and I said to myself: ‘Chiara, live it’. Without thinking about the results. Those came thanks to serenity”.

So, how do you find the strength to get back into the game?

“The important thing is to learn from the most difficult moments and think of them as a lesson, trying to understand where to improve. Without experiencing a negative result as a disappointment and that’s it. That’s where you learn the most, that’s where you get to know yourself better as a person and as an athlete. I understood a lot from that experience, I think I’ve grown.”

Is his head already in Los Angeles?

“It is the long-term goal and it is always present, but I will only get there as best as possible through intermediate and closer objectives. I try every day to raise the quality of my dives, even in training. I work to get closer to the Chinese divers and reach them. At certain levels, you have to maintain consistency.”

But what do you think about before a dive worth a gold?

“What I always try to do, even in training, is to create a bubble to prevent any distractions from entering. I concentrate on what my coach says and keep the focus on the goal. Nothing else.”

A lot is said on social media. If you could show your followers just one scene from your life as an athlete that no one usually sees, which one would you choose?

“Many times people think it’s just about diving. In reality we do a lot of physical preparation in the gym and I think it’s important to show this part of our life. It’s not just about going to a competition and doing five dives.”

Is it true that between one dive and another you spend time drawing?

“The custom began a couple of years before the Paris Olympics. I was looking for something to do to entertain myself, especially during the World Cup preliminaries, which have very long waiting times, with dives even every half hour. I wanted to relax without losing concentration, so I brought a coloring book with me and it became a habit.”

Her father, a journalist, dedicated a TV report to her for the news. Was it a surprise?

“Yes, dad sent it to me as soon as it was finished and I was really excited. It’s the best memory of my European Championships.”

She is very close to her family and has been living and studying in America for a few years. How do you perceive this distance?

“It has strengthened the relationship with mum and dad, but also with my brothers. Now we value the moments spent together even more. And then we always keep in touch, even when we are on the other side of the world. In our family calls we tell each other a bit of everything”.

In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport spoke about the support given to student-athletes in America. What is the difference compared to Italy?

“The student-athlete is also considered and valued for the great commitment he puts into sport. This year, for example, when I returned from some successful competition, the professors complimented me in class and sometimes began the explanations by opening the Power Point with a photo of me. For them it is a source of pride, because we represent the university. In Italy this aspect is missing, sport is often perceived as something that takes time away from studying.”

She graduated in Psychology and is now doing a master’s degree in sports communication. Do you already have your life after diving in mind?

“Every now and then I try to think about it, but I still don’t have an answer. For now I’ve focused on studying things related to my passions, without having clear ideas about the future. Let’s hope that, sooner or later, enlightenment will come.”

If you could swap with another athlete for a day, who would it be and why?

“I would try a team sport, I would like to experience that context. I’m not tall enough, but I would like volleyball (she smiles). And who knows, maybe be Paola Egonu for a while.”

Will the 5 gold medals at the European Championships be worth a new tattoo?

“I’m 21 and haven’t added any in the last year, but who knows. I’ll have to think about it.” There is no shortage of time.