Italy made a golden start to the short-course swimming world championships in Melbourne on Tuesday, with Alessandro Miressi, Paolo Conte Bonin, Leonardo Deplano and Thomas Ceccon triumphing in the 4x100m freestyle relay with a world-record time, and Gregorio Paltrinieri prevailing in the 1,500m.

In doing so, Paltrinieri became the first swimmer to win the short-course world title in the 1,500 freestyle twice, after his gold in Doha in 2014.

Premier Giorgia Meloni took to Twitter to congratulate Team Italy on their triumphs.

“Extraordinary Italy on the first day of the #Melbourne2022 World Swimming Championships,” the tweet reads.

“Gold for Paltrinieri in the 1500 freestyle, first place and world record for Miressi, Conte Bonin, Deplano and Ceccon in the men's 4x100 relay. A spectacular start of tricolour pride.”