Benedetta is 21 years old. She was born in Taranto and now lives away from home in Rome. She faces the traffic of the Capital fearlessly with her car, fully aware that the real obstacle of every outing is finding parking. The Orange Garden is her favorite place, but it may soon be replaced by the Altar of the Fatherland, as soon as she can admire with her own eyes the breathtaking view of the city that this panoramic spot offers. She has a surprising passion for tripe, her favorite Roman dish, balanced by a more common love for gelato when it comes to desserts. Benedetta is a girl like many others, and that is exactly the feeling she gives when speaking with her.
Except that, for Italy, Benedetta is no longer just another girl. She hasn’t been since 2019 in Gwangju, when she became Benedetta Pilato, the youngest Italian swimmer ever to debut at a World Championship. She was 14 years and 6 months old. From that day on, she no longer had the chance to experiment, grow, or make mistakes. She had become an athlete, and as such she was expected to live up to the image public opinion had stitched onto her. A paradigm she immediately rejected, placing her authenticity above any other value.
«Once you become a figure, an idol, you no longer have the right to make mistakes - Benedetta tells us -. A lot of people tell me that I should be an example for their children. No, I should simply be a person who, if I inspire you, great, otherwise you shouldn’t follow me. Still, I’m happy if somehow during my life I’ve been able to make someone think, or if I’ve been an inspiration or a point of reference. Probably this authenticity is also a limitation. I’ve always been criticized for it, even by people very close to me.
When I found myself on the podium of a World Championship at 14 years old, two weeks later I started my second year of high school. I had to figure out how to balance my life with my career. I don’t know what the perfect recipe is for being a flawless athlete or professional, but I think everyone has their own balance. The things that make people feel good cannot be the same for everyone. Aside from training and trying to stay consistent, I think everything else is far too subjective. I don’t know if it has been a limitation. Probably yes, but at the same time I realize that without that side of my life I probably wouldn’t have achieved certain results.»
Being yourself in sports is considered a privilege you can afford only if you are capable of paying a very high price: meeting and surpassing the increasingly pressing expectations placed on you. It requires a mental strength that not everyone possesses. «Let’s say I’m still learning - Benedetta says while explaining her method for trying to handle pressure - .And that’s legitimate. Maybe this is the hardest part, because behind every athlete there is a person. Personally, I’m generally super sensitive, so I realize this can sometimes be a problem for me. In the past it weighed on me to always be under everyone’s eyes and for everyone to feel entitled to comment. Now I manage the situation better, but you have to live with it, create little strategies so you don’t get hurt by it. I have to find the right solution for myself.»
Pressure, criticism, results that are expected no matter what. A person could understandably think that a life like this is not worth living, but when we ask Benedetta what swimming represents for her today, she uses a word that surprises us: «It’s difficult to define because it has been with me since I was born. At one year and two months old I was already in the water doing rehabilitation because of a problem with my legs.
It has been a hobby, a passion. Now it’s my profession, even more so since I moved to Rome. I like swimming, but my relationship with it has sometimes been difficult. Last year, for example, it had almost become a burden. Now, maybe because the environment where I train is different — and that is a very important aspect — I’ve rediscovered the fun and the joy of swimming, of being in the water, and of enjoying every moment of it.»
The word that surprises us the most is joy. Probably because, going back to the starting point, we had unconsciously always thought that there was only Benedetta Pilato the swimmer. Instead, the girl we see in the pool is nothing more than the same girl we could meet at the cinema or in any other situation. And there is one detail Benedetta brings into the pool that reminds us of this: her colorful nails. «Girls who do artistic gymnastics wear incredible leotards. We, on the other hand, have to wear an awful swimsuit that doesn’t flatter women at all. We can’t highlight our hair because we wear swim caps, and my hair is actually the feature I’m most proud of. Not our eyes either, because we wear goggles.
Nails, just like bracelets and rings, are a way for me to express my personality, to change, to experiment. I always wear necklaces and I’ll never change my habits for a competition. It feels like a female athlete can no longer be a woman. But maybe the day after a race you have a date, or you’re leaving for a vacation. You have your interests, your life.»
Benedetta’s life is also expressed through fashion: «My wardrobe is the thing I’m most protective of in the entire universe. I love it so much. I also have to say that I’m pretty lucky because, being a woman in her twenties who has been earning money and financially independent for many years, fortunately I can also afford to indulge myself a little. I love watching fashion shows, even on my phone if I’m out. I would love to work in the fashion world once my career is over. Over time I’ve also understood that if I want to dress in a certain style, I’ll do it regardless of what I have to do or where I have to go. I can wear a Nike tracksuit and 12-centimeter heels to go to a bar on a Friday night. I’ve realized that fashion is not so much about what you wear, but about how you feel while wearing it. And it’s not only about when I go out — even when I stay home I try to have a polished look. You have to feel good about yourself, otherwise you won’t be able to do anything well in life.»