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Minisini, Flamini get Italy’s 1st gold at swimming worlds

Jul 17, 2017 | 7:15 AM

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Giorgio Minisini and Manila Flamini earned Italy its first gold medal of the world swimming championships by winning the mixed duet technical synchronized swimming competition on Monday.

Minisini and Flamini finished with a total of 90.2979 points, edging Russia’s Mikhaela Kalancha and Aleksandr Maltsev by just 0.034 of a point.

The Italian pair impressed the judges with a choreography called, “A Scream from Lampedusa,” created by Russian synchronized swimmer Anastasia Ermakova, and dedicated to the huge numbers of migrants arriving on the Italian island between Sicily and Tunisia every year.

Their win brings Italy’s medal tally at the worlds to one gold, one silver and three bronze.