Pellegrini in 200m freestyle final

(ANSA) - Rome, August 4 - Italy's Federica Pellegrini easily qualified for the semi-finals of the 200 metres freestyle at the swimming world championships in Kazan, Russia, on Tuesday despite an annoying air bubble in her swimsuit. The 26-year-old former Olympic and world champion in the event qualified in second place in her heat with the sixth-best time overall.
    "I had some problems with the swimsuit, which inflated with an air bubble when I dived in and it started moving around," she told State broadcaster RAI. "It was like swimming with a DDD bra and I'm not size DDD.
    "Anyway I qualified easily, without wasting energy, and that's fine," added Pellegrini, who won gold in the 200m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and did the 200m-400m freestyle double at both the 2009 Rome world championships and the 2011 world championships in Shanghai. Another big Italian medal hope, Gregorio Paltrinieri, qualified for the final of the men's 800 metres freestyle.
    Italy has done well at the world aquatics championships and has so far won two gold medals and seven bronzes.
    Diver Tania Cagnotto has been the big Italian hero so far, winning gold in the 1m springboard and two bronze medals.
    Simone Ruffini got Italy's other gold in the 25km open-water event and went on to win over more fans by asking his girlfriend to marry him on the victory.