Noè Ponti wanted to remain positive after narrowly missing out on a medal. "You can't call it a failure," the Ticino native told RSI after the 100 m dolphin final.
"Fourth place is never a good result. But I gave it my all and got better in every race. I was aiming for a medal, now I'm fourth in the world," said the Olympic bronze medal winner from Tokyo.
He was fourth at the Olympic Games, he recalled. "Only a few people can claim that." Together with 5th place in the 200 m dolphin, that was a nice result. "Unfortunately the medal is missing. But I'm not disappointed," assured the 23-year-old.
Learning and getting stronger
"I gave it my all and showed a good race. I was faster than in the semi-final." Ponti conceded that the stop was not ideal. "That cost me the medal." But he can still be satisfied. "My family is too," he said. "It was a close race with five or six candidates for the podium. I swam well."
Ponti accepted that the medal winners were better than him on Saturday evening. "But I will learn from this race to become stronger," promised the 2022 European Championship silver medallist in the 100m dolphin.
Already eyeing L.A.
He denied that the pressure had played a role. "I've been relaxed since making the final. A certain amount of pressure is normal. I knew that I could achieve something big. I'm happy that I made it to the final and was able to enjoy the moment."
Ponti will soon be back at work in Tenero with his coach Massimo Meloni. The 50 m dolphin might be added to the program at the 2028 Olympic Games. "That would be one more chance for me," he looked ahead. "But first I need a vacation."
