Giorgio Minisini is an iconic, history-making, artistic swimmer who saw the sport undergo incredible transformations during his highly decorated career.
Minisini was inspired by watching legendary American Bill May perform at the Foro Italico in Rome, his home city, when he was just four years old.
Twenty-two years later, Minisini would become Europe’s first-ever male solo champion in that same venue, an achievement which moved him to tears while receiving his gold medal.
Now though, at the age of 28 and two years on from that moment, the multiple World and European champion has decided to step away from competing, after what he admits has been a journey with not only substantial successes, but also significant struggles.
In his autobiography, released last year, the Italian revealed he had struggled with bulimia earlier in his career and had worked through mental health challenges with a therapist.
In a press conference on 16 July Minisini opened up further and admitted he had “hurt” himself for the sport and was “simply not willing to do it anymore.”
While missing out on a place in the Italian team for the Paris 2024 Games this summer, the first Olympics where men are eligible to compete in artistic swimming, was a blow, he insisted that was not the sole reason for his decision to retire.
He had been inspired by the likes of Michael Phelps and Simone Biles opening up about their mental health struggles and is now open about how that has impacted him in recent years.
Minisini spoke to World Aquatics after competing in his final event as a professional athlete, at the Italian National Championships where he rounded off this part of his life with one final gold.
Why did now feel like the right time to announce your retirement from the sport?
“It’s something I’ve been preparing for a couple of weeks since before the European Championships and it’s something I realised I needed to do to be able to get better,” he tells World Aquatics.
“Now I’m feeling that I’m doing what I really wanted to do and I’ve really enjoyed these last moments (in the sport) over the last few days, but I’m also really looking forward to what comes next.”
What do you see as you proudest achievements within the sport?
“I think I have a lot of memorable moments, I think about the first medals in Kazan (2015 World Championships where he won two mixed synchronised bronze medals) and the golds in Budapest (first two World titles in 2022),” he recalls.
“Then there’s medals at the Europeans in Rome (four continental crowns in 2022), but I have to say the things I’m most proud of is the work with Arianna Sacripante, the down syndrome girl, who I’ve swam with since 2019 as part of Progetto Filippide.
“We actually have one last event together (14 August) at the Inclusive World Championships. I’m really passionate about bringing non-Paralympic and Paralympic athletes together because I feel these events add value to sports.”
How impactful was the success at the Europeans in 2022, given the historic nature of the achievement and importance of the venue to you personally?
“The first (solo) title in Rome in 2022 was very significant for me, not just because it was in Rome and it was very close to the pool where I first saw Bill May swim and where I first started, which was of course very moving.
“But, also because after those championships something changed in Italy.
“Artistic swimming started to be seen after that time and journalists, TV reporters and crowds started to take a more serious approach to our sport and that’s something I think we need to keep pushing to improve the sport further.”
Men were eligible for Paris 2024, but none were ultimately selected. What do you feel needs to happen for that to change come Los Angeles 2028?
“Of course, in my opinion mixed duet needs to be integrated into the Olympic programme but I think we also need to work on solos.
“Mixed team was a good idea (for Paris 2024), but we need to build on that and make it possible by looking at rules and convincing national federations to integrate men into their teams.”
What would you like your legacy to be and how would you like to be remembered by those in the sport?
“It's difficult for me as I never thought about legacy, I just wanted to swim, enjoy the competition, the people and the environment,” says Minisini with a smile.
“I think that what I would really like to share with people that come next is to enjoy the moment.
“I always wanted to be someone who enjoyed the moment and being part of World Championships for example, because how many normal people are able to do that? But for some years I lost sight of that.
“I focused too much on getting better, getting results and I lost that ‘oh wow, I’m part of a World Championships’, so to the next (generation) please enjoy the moments and everything that comes with them.”