For some countries, identifying the greatest swimmer of all-time can be difficult. For Italy, there is only one correct answer: Federica Pellegrini.
Over nearly two decades, Pellegrini reigned as one of the greatest middle-distance freestylers the sport has seen, the 200 freestyle her pet event. During her illustrious career, Pellegrini continually flourished under pressure, evidenced by the 64 medals she claimed in international competition.
Pellegrini first broke out on the global scene at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where she claimed the silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle behind Romania’s Camelia Potec. From that point forward, her name became synonymous with the event, with more than half of her individual medals on the international stage arriving over four laps of freestyle.
Nicknamed “La Divina” and “The Lioness of Verona,” Pellegrini was the bronze medalist in the 200 freestyle at the 2007 World Championships and entered the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as a leading contender for gold in the 200 and 400-meter freestyle. After finishing fifth in the final of the 400 freestyle, despite being the world-record holder, Pellegrini rebounded in dynamic fashion.
In the preliminaries of the 200 freestyle, held just a few hours after her disappointment in the 400 freestyle, Pellegrini set a world record of 1:55.45. She took that standard lower in the final, cementing her Olympic title with a time of 1:54.82.
During her career, Pellegrini established nine world records in the long-course pool – six in the 200 freestyle and three in the 400 freestyle. Her final world record in the 200 freestyle, the 1:52.98 that won her the 2009 world championship, endured for nearly 14 years. Meanwhile, her final world record in the 400 freestyle, a 3:59.15, lasted five years and made Pellegrini the first woman to break the four-minute barrier in the event.
As a testament to her desire, Pellegrini won gold in the 200 freestyle at the last two editions of the World Championships – in 2017 and 2019. She was also the world champion in the 400 freestyle in 2009 and 2011.
Join Federica Pellegrini and the other 11 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s Diamond Anniversary in Singapore! Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore in conjunction with the World Aquatics World Championships
WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
WHERE: Park Royal Collection, Marina Bay, Singapore
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ purchase them HERE!
Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony
ISHOF Class of 2025
Anthony Ervin (USA) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer
Federica Pellegrini (ITA) Honor Swimmer
Joseph Schooling (SIN) Honor Swimmer
Ous Mellouli (TUN) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Chen Ruolin (CHN) Honor Diver
Endre “Bandi” Molnar (HUN) Honor Water Polo Player
Andrea Fuentes (ESP) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach
Captain Husain Al Musallam (KUW) Honor Contributor
Sachin Nag* (IND) Honor Pioneer Swimmer
Guo Jingjing (CHN) Honor Diver (Class of 2016)
*deceased
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this truly international Class of 2025. This year, ISHOF will induct 12 honorees from nine countries. In addition, ISHOF will be inducting Honorees from four new countries that we have never had Honorees inducted from before, Kuwait, India, Tunisia, and Singapore.