For Chiara Pellacani, gold is never enough

Five European gold medals might be enough to change a life. For some, just one was enough, when all is said and done. But not for Chiara Pellacani, our ‘dancer in the air’, the new Italian diving champion. From the Paris Olympics, where she secured two fourth-place finishes that left her seething with frustration, to last summer’s Paris, which showered her with gold. “The five medals haven’t changed my life, but they’ve been a great source of satisfaction for the journey we’ve been on. We’ve worked so hard; that was the goal and we’re very happy.” Perhaps that’s precisely the point: winning without letting victory become the only thing that matters. Chiara is 24, but she has been part of the senior national team since she was 14. “I feel like I’m somewhere in between, because after all these years I feel older than I am. Every now and then I have to remind myself that I’ve only just turned 24.” Ten years at the top level mean experience, but also a certain ability to put things into perspective. “Over the years, I’ve learnt to focus more on my preparation, on everything that goes with it, and to enjoy the moment of the competition, rather than thinking about winning or being afraid of losing. This mindset helps me approach competitions without too much pressure.”

The secret is to keep enjoying yourself. “That’s what I try to hold on to, precisely to maintain that sense of calm which helps me cope with the pressure and anxiety, and to keep it fun.” In diving, your head weighs almost as much as your body. Perhaps even more. “You put everything on the line in five dives that last just a few seconds. Being mentally prepared is absolutely crucial.” Then there’s courage. The sort you need as a child, when you’re trying something you’re not yet familiar with. Chiara was eight when she started, almost by chance, at a summer camp. “I remember having so much fun. I developed a great passion for diving straight away, and I think it’s still that passion that helps me tackle all the competitions.” She likes competition, but above all the constant challenge: “When you’re young, you learn new dives and have to find the courage to tackle them. It’s precisely this constant challenge that I really enjoy.” Courageous, yes; reckless, no. When asked about dives from great heights, such as the spectacular jumps from the cliffs of Polignano, she smiles but immediately sets a limit: “Probably not, I wouldn’t dive from there. That takes even more courage. Outside the pool, when I don’t have everything under control, it scares me a bit.”

However, she has also learnt to maintain control through her defeats. Paris 2024 had left her with two fourth-place finishes at the Olympics. Two years later, again in Paris, she won five European medals. “I learnt a great deal from the Olympic experience, and it is partly thanks to that that I have achieved these results. I have learnt to approach matches by focusing on the present moment.” Her mantra has become simple: “Day by day, competition by competition, dive by dive”. It is the famous “here and now” of Julio Velasco and the women’s volleyball team, fundamental in a sport where a mistake lasts a second but risks lingering in your mind for the whole competition. “You have to focus on the present”. A lesson that also stems from psychology and the ability to ask for help. “It has been a fundamental part of my journey. I’ve learnt so much. When you feel the need to stop for a moment and take a break, I believe it’s essential to recharge your batteries and not lose your passion for your sport.” Talking about it, she adds, can also be helpful to those coming up behind. “It’s important because younger players can draw inspiration from the experiences of more experienced athletes and realise that, when you need help, you have to step forward and ask for it.”

Now the focus is on Los Angeles 2028. Pellacani is working on a more difficult dive, one capable of increasing the difficulty coefficient and therefore the potential score. “I tried it for the first time this summer. There’s still a huge amount of work to be done before I can take it into competition. The aim will be to start performing it in competition too, to get used to managing the anxiety and pressure, because it’s a demanding dive.” There is a risk, of course. “But in my opinion it’s worth a try, because at the Olympics you have to give it your all. Then we’ll see if I’m ready to take it into competition.” Behind that technical choice lies an even more important mental one: trying to close the gap on the Chinese, who have always been the almost unattainable benchmark in world diving. “I’m trying to convince myself that it can be done. I’m preparing as best I can, trying to give one hundred per cent, and then we’ll see.” Convincing oneself even before succeeding. It’s probably the hardest leap of all. But after her breakthrough at the European Championships, even the Chinese will now see her in a different light: “I hope they look at me with fresh eyes because of the leap in quality I’m trying to make. And I’ll try to see them in a different light too: as more human and more approachable.” Chiara knows full well where China’s strength lies. “They have a diving tradition that goes back many, many years. Over there, it’s a sport with enormous visibility; loads of young people take it up, so they have far more participants than we do. That allows them to discover so much talent.” But tradition doesn’t mean invincibility.

This is also because diving is changing. “Before, the focus was very much on elegance; now there’s more power. Even women are starting to perform more difficult dives – the ones that men do. You might lose a little bit of elegance, but you gain a lot of power and difficulty.” It’s a transformation that requires physical fitness, technique and, above all, a willingness to constantly raise the bar. Part of the new Pellacani, however, was forged far from the diving board. The years spent in Miami – juggling university, training and managing her daily life on her own – had a huge impact. “That experience helped me grow in so many ways, both in sport and in my personal life. It helped shape the person I am today.” She will return to Miami to study for a master’s degree in sports management. “I’d like to stay in the world of sport. I don’t yet know in what capacity or from what perspective, but I’d certainly like it to remain part of my life.” Perhaps she’ll start talking about it, just as her father Paolo does on La 7.

In the meantime, she tries simply to remain Chiara. “I always try to strike a balance between being an athlete and a 24-year-old girl who spends time with her friends. It’s very important to be able to keep the two things together without putting too much pressure on my sporting career.” A leader without needing to take centre stage, as her father describes her. This, too, is a quality developed over time. “I’ve learnt it partly through the years and experience, and partly I think I’ve always had it. I like helping others without hogging the limelight, putting the people around me in the best possible position.”

And perhaps inspire those who watch diving from afar today. “I hope that following the results of the European Championships, there’ll be a bit more talk about our sport and that younger people will take an interest in this world. I’d love to be able to inspire young girls and boys.” As a child, she used to watch Tania Cagnotto, Francesca Dallapé and Maria Marconi. Her dream was to reach the Olympics and win medals. That dream is not over yet. She wears a pendant around her neck depicting the five Olympic rings. There’s no need to ask what her next goal is.