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.
Bill May and Kanako Spendlove claimed bronze, the United States' first medal of the championships, with 87.6682 points. Spendlove won four medals (one gold, three silver) at the worlds in 2003 and 2005 when she was representing Japan.
Canada's Rene Robert Prevost and Isabelle Rampling were sixth with 82.3413.
The women's 3-metre springboard final and men's 10-metre platform final in synchronized diving were taking place later Monday.
The Associated Press
