"In the water I am really myself" - a Noè Ponti interview

Noè Ponti has always had water in his name. Or at least the ability to cut through it at supersonic speed, almost giving the impression that he doesn't even get wet as he crosses the lane with his strokes towering over the surface and his powerful, darting legs underscoring the watery movement. Yesterday, December 11, 2024, will be remembered as a historic date for swimming: Noè Ponti was crowned world champion in the 50-meter butterfly at the World Championships in Budapest, once again breaking his own world record with an astonishing 21"32 time. Just a few days ago, we had the chance to speak with him to hear his thoughts ahead of such a highly anticipated event. He also shared insights about his life in the pool, his friendships with Ceccon and Martinenghi, the importance of mental health, and, of course, his relationship with his technical sponsor, arena.

First, tell us how your passion for swimming came about. When was your first experience in the water and when did you first realize that you wanted to follow this path in your life?

Then it's hard to remember the absolute first one. Let's say at about the age of two and a half I started swimming without floaters and I was doing a style, maybe a little bit similar to dolphin. That is, dolphin legs, because I was still not able to use my arms. And then from there I started doing various swimming courses, both in summer and winter, also thanks to my sister who is three years older than me and in 2006 she started competitive swimming. And I wanted to try what my sister was doing the following year. I started and after a month and a half, I stopped because I was the smallest in the group and she was teasing me a little bit. But after that we went on vacation to the Red Sea and I was in the water so much and when I came back I wanted to try again. From there I haven't stopped until now.

What is water for you, since you said you are very aquatic, what kind of relationship do you have? 

I would say that water is kind of like a second home for me. I'm comfortable in the water, I can do whatever I want, I feel comfortable maybe even more than when I'm out of the water. In the water I just can express myself at my best, it's really my element. 

Swimming is a difficult sport to tell to those who do not follow it frequently. What is the element that differentiates it from other sports?

Definitely it is an individual sport. You can have as many training partners as you want, however, in the end you are always alone when you have to swim. I think it requires a lot of sacrifice, like all sports at a high level, however, even when you're little it's not an easy sport because it can be very monotonous. Because you basically do six seven kilometers of training back and forth, always looking at this this black line on the bottom and it can seem a little bit boring and sometimes of course it is, but it can give you so much. In the end being able to compare yourself and compete against others but also against the weather, it's nice. 

Maybe athletics is the closest sport to that but I still think the workouts are a little bit less monotonous, maybe they change every now and then. Then you're not in the water all the time. In the end in the pool it's also difficult to talk to your training partners, because every time you stop to take a breath and exchange a few words, you already have to start again. It requires a lot of sacrifice, it is not easy however especially when you achieve the results it is really nice. When you reach the goal it is the most beautiful moment in the world. 

Speaking of goals and competition, you participated in two editions of the Olympic Games very different from each other tell a little bit, the differences and the emotions of going into the water and precisely competing in the most important competition.

In my opinion, the Olympics is the most important competition a swimmer can aspire to like other athletes in other sports and I was lucky enough to participate in the Olympics in Tokyo. It was quite special because it was during the Covid anyway and because of the limitations there was no audience. The medal also came quite unexpectedly and it was a pity I couldn't celebrate it with my family members or audience. It was certainly as special as it was unforgettable, though. 

While Paris was really something crazy, I mean in the stadium there were seventeen, eighteen thousand people every at every session, whether it was batteries or finals, it didn't change anything. It was always sold-out and it was just beautiful. You could compete in front of so many people, all the cheering that went with you in the pool. Unfortunately, we missed the medal - a fourth and a fifth place - but otherwise it was really a mind-blowing experience, even in the Olympic village. Being able to experience the village to the fullest, because you couldn't do much in Tokyo anyway, instead in Paris it was also special to share everything with other athletes of other nationalities and disciplines. 

And the road to the Olympic Games in Paris was told in a documentary film. What was it like to work on set and then see yourself on the big screen?

In May 2023, I was asked if I would be willing to make this documentary with Ellade Ossola from RSI, Italian television. I had known her for some time and without giving it much thought, I agreed. It was quite strange at first because the camera often follows you everywhere, as if it's always keeping an eye on you, and I had to get used to it. But after that, I think it went really well.

It was a nice recognition that I wanted to make a documentary with Swiss television about my path to the Olympic Games and that they not only filmed the good moments, but also the difficult ones, which are always there in a swimmer's career.

What is the way that you use to overcome just the routine? I think there are also ways to switch off a bit between competitions and clear your head of all the pressure.

I had already started two routes. I cancelled both of them because I couldn't keep up. But now I should start another one, which should be more doable, because it's important to have something outside of swimming. If you just swim, swim, swim every day, you're doing double training, you come home and do nothing - you relax because you're a bit tired, so you end up sitting on the bed doing nothing - and that can get too much for you. Maybe you can live life as a swimmer for five or six months, but after that it really becomes too much.

I mean, you risk burnout, so I always try to do something else, either with friends or family, that has nothing to do with swimming. So when I have a break, I try to go away and enjoy my life, do everything that I can't do as an athlete, that a normal person does, without thinking too much about the sport. This summer, for example, I went on a safari in Kenya and did volunteer work, because a season that lasts eleven months is really a lot of work. On the other hand, if I travel a lot and am away for a month or three weeks, I can recharge my batteries at home.

What is one way for you to express your personality in and out of the pool and to be yourself, to make yourself known as a person and not just as an athlete in the water?

Let's put it this way: when I'm in the water, I'm myself. I think I can express myself as well as I can, and yes, in the end, what I do best is swim, swim fast. It's not easy as a swimmer to be recognisable as an athlete, because after all, people always see you with your cap and goggles on, but I think in the water and out of the water I'm still the same.

I like to joke around and I've never had to try and give myself an image because I've always remained the same person I am in the pool. Even in interviews I say what I think without making too much fuss about myself, but I think that's also why people like me, because I'm authentic in what I do and what I represent.

What is your relationship with the Italian swimmers? You grew up with Thomas Ceccon and Nicolò Martinenghi, so how is it now, even if we sometimes meet under different flags, but I think it's a very strong friendly relationship.

Ultimately, I compete for Switzerland and they for Italy, but that doesn't change anything. We started competing against each other with Thomas in 2016 and I think it's developed into a great friendship.

We get on really well and when we see each other at races - sometimes he wins, sometimes I do - we always have a lot of fun. The same goes for Nicolo. We've known each other for seven or eight years now and I think we have a good friendship that isn't just limited to swimming. We talk a bit about everything, including our lives. It's a shame that we don't see each other that often. For example, I'm going on holiday with Thomas in a few weeks, so we definitely find opportunities to see each other outside of swimming. Then I know I'm having fun when they're there, because they're not only great champions but also good guys.

How did the relationship with arena come about and what was the reason you chose them as a sponsor?

I think arena is the leading brand in swimming and also because of its proximity to Italy, it was always one of the brands I used as a child. But the best racing suit is the one they made for the Olympics. I really like the brand, I like the people, it's like a family. After Tokyo, my coach knew a few people in the arena and asked if he knew anyone who could get me on the team. So it started straight after Tokyo, after the medal in December I sat down with arena and they took me into their family. I think that's the most important thing: the relationships you build not only with the sponsor, but also with the people you work with.

Tell us why the arena costume you wore at the last Olympic Games is the best possible one. What qualities are more important for a swimmer than for a non-professional?

I like costumes that are comfortable, that I can move around in sufficiently and that allow me to be mobile in the water. I have good mobility, especially in the pelvic area, and the most important thing is that it is comfortable and gives me a wide range of movement when swimming. Also, the compression is very good and it's like your legs float more than with other costumes, it just pulls your legs up a bit more and that obviously helps when swimming.

The Powerskin Primo also has a revolutionary structure that combines the best of arena technology. It combines the flexibility of the Powerskin Carbon Glide with the compression of the Powerskin Carbon Core FX. The carbon fibres give you the ability to be agile without losing speed and power. In June 2023 we had a first test and I immediately felt comfortable with it. Then I used it at the last European Championships and swam really fast, and when a swimmer is fast in a suit, they don't want to change it. It's also a mental thing, but at the moment I would never do without it.