Cristina Chiuso

Cristina Chiuso was 55 times an Italian champion, including 31 in the 50 metre freestyle alone, over a 17-year period, Chiuso first competed in the Olympic Games as a 19-year-old in Barcelona in 1992.

Whilst she never reached the heights of a World or Olympic podium, Chiuso was a regular medal winner at lesser championships throughout her career. Starting with two relay silvers at the 1991 European Short Course Championships, she went on to win medals at both the short course and long course versions of the European Championships, the Mediterranean Games, and the Universiade.

Although the majority of her success at the international level came as part of relay teams, she did win the individual 50 m freestyle at the 2015 Mediterranean Games and a silver in the same event four years later.

Chiuso missed the Atlanta Olympics before competing at the next three Games. Her only Olympic final came in 2004 where her Italian relay team edged out world record holders China for the final qualifying place. Four years later she swam in the semi-finals of the 50 freestyle.

She retired at the end of 2008 and combined a career in marketing with a role as interviewer and expert summariser with several Italian TV channels. In 2000 she was awarded the Order of merit of the Italian Republic and in 2015 Chiuso became a delegate from Rome Province to the Italian Olympic committee (CONI).