These days, I was supposed to be boarding that long-awaited flight to Tokyo, on my way to my fourth Olympics with the Italian national team. Instead, since my last race at the Titano Meeting in February in San Marino, I haven’t competed at all. Ever since I took my first strokes at age 3, I don’t think I’ve ever gone this long without swimming, and today—perhaps more than ever before—as I got back in the water, I realized just how much swimming allows me to express myself to the fullest.

Of course, in sports, it’s hard to stay focused and determined without goals, especially in a grueling discipline like ours. The cancellation of all competitions was in the air, and as the days went by, I came to terms with it. But sooner or later—probably as early as mid-August with the rescheduled Italian Championship—we’ll be back to competing at full speed. The key is to stay focused.

The break was forced, but we were all in the same boat—no one had an advantage—and, after all, rest can be pleasant, as well as often necessary. Even in our daily lives, rest is an important aspect to prioritize, which is why I’ve always appreciated technical compression garments. Whether at the end of competitions or training sessions, swimmers are full of lactic acid, and wearing technical clothing likeOxyburn’s base layers provides relief for the body.

The compression fabric of the Axo shorts, for example, stimulates circulation, improving muscle oxygenation and accelerating the elimination of toxins. Similarly, the Charger calf sleeves help shorten the recovery time for muscle tone. For gym sessions, the elastic, anatomically designed micro-mesh structure of the Fit-Bra is ideal because it promotes sweat evaporation, just like the lightweight, soft fabric of the Kim tank top and the Kate T-shirt.

Since 2010, when I joined the Fiamme Azzurre Military Sports Group, specializing in the butterfly stroke has been a natural choice for me, as I’ve had a knack for it since I was a child. I competed in the Beijing, London, and Rio Olympics, along with winning silver at the European Short Course Championships in 2017 and 2019 in the 200-meter event and bronze at the European Long Course Championships in the 100-meter event in 2014 and 2016. But it was only by slowing down in recent months that I realized, with even greater clarity, just how incredibly swimming has enriched my life. It was tough because no one hands you what you have, and, as this sport teaches, you only get what you deserve.

So, it doesn’t matter if the pools in Tokyo are replaced by the sea in Puglia. I’ll keep training to be ready. Because my goal will always be the same: to compete in my fourth Olympics.

by Ilaria Bianchi