World Champs Profile: Thomas Ceccon Traveled Down Under in Pursuit of Latest Titles
Leading into the start of the World Championships later this month, Swimming World will publish a handful of short profiles on top contenders for the podium in Singapore. Our next entry in this series features Italy’s Thomas Ceccon, the world-record holder in the 100-meter backstroke.
Thomas Ceccon
Italy
Events: 50 Butterfly/100 Backstroke
The Road to Singapore
The beginning of 2025 brought a change of scenery for Ceccon, as he opted to temporarily shift his training base to Australia and the high-powered St Peters Western program helmed by Dean Boxall. Before returning to Italy after several months, Ceccon spoke highly of his time Down Under, as he trained with some of the top swimmers in the world and enjoyed the idyllic environment.
Ceccon will certainly race the 100 backstroke and 50 butterfly at the World Championships, with the 50 backstroke and 100 butterfly also serving as options. The Italian has not shown his hand yet this year, but has been 23.00 in the 50 fly and 53.31 in the 100 back. The world-record holder in the 100 back, Ceccon has been 51.60 in his prime event.
Top Career Achievement
At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Ceccon captured gold in the 100 backstroke with a come-from-behind performance. Trailing China’s Xu Jiayu and American Ryan Murphy at the midway point, Ceccon reeled in and pulled away from the opposition down the stretch to prevail in a time of 52.00.
Previous World Champs Hardware
Ceccon is a six-time medalist at the World Championships, with three of his podium finishes as an individual and three as part of Italian relays. Ceccon captured his first world title in the 100 backstroke at the 2022 World Champs, where he blistered a world record of 51.60. Individually, Ceccon was the world champ in the 50 fly in 2023 and won silver that year in the 100 backstroke.
Stat Fact
Ceccon is one of five men in history to break the 52-second barrier in the 100 backstroke, but he possesses a commanding .22 margin over the No. 2 performer of all-time. Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov ranks second in event history, behind his personal best of 51.82.
World Champs Profiles
