“I’ve been very tired over the last few weeks, especially mentally, which has given me some problems coping with everyday life.” With these words Noè Ponti (20) describes his current state of mind on Instagram. The swimmer can no longer stand in the United States and returns to Switzerland a month later.
The 100-meter butterfly’s sensational bronze medalist at the Olympics in Tokyo underestimated the excitement around him. “My life has changed suddenly and drastically. It has gone from zero to a hundred.”
It happened quickly in succession. “Between interviews and celebrations, I packed my bags to go to North Carolina, almost without realizing I had boarded a plane.”
The foreign adventure came at the wrong time for a young man from Ticino. “I tried to understand what had happened in the United States. At the same time I started my studies and had to adjust to different training levels and learn a new environment. Eventually, everything became too much for him.
The athlete wants to be “mentally and physically well” again at the Sunny Parlor in Switzerland. During training he is supported by his coaches Massimo Meloni and Andrea Mercury. Next year will be a big highlight of the European Championships in Rome.
Ukolkova Brilliant
For Maria Ugolkova (32), EM may not come soon. A few weeks after the Olympics, she is in great shape again. In 4: 36.31 minutes he broke his own Swiss record of over 400 meters in 27 seconds. He set it up in 2019 at the European Short Curriculum in Glasgow.
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