Noè Ponti delivers in his first appearance in the Olympic pool in Paris. The 23-year-old from Ticino qualifies confidently for the semi-finals in the 200 m dolphin.
Ponti, who sensationally won Olympic bronze three years ago in Tokyo in his showpiece discipline, the 100 m dolphin, finished second in his series of preliminary heats behind Kristof Milak from Hungary. Despite a less than ideal stroke, the Ticino swimmer finished in 1:54.77, less than six tenths off his Swiss record.
Ponti ensured a premiere from a Swiss perspective on the fourth day of the swimmers' competition by advancing to the semi-finals, which will take place on Tuesday evening (approx. 20:40). Previously in Paris, Antonio Djakovic, Roman Mityukov, Thierry Bollin and Lisa Mamié had all been eliminated at the first opportunity.
SDA
