Simone Ciulli

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Simone Ciulli

| image = Simone Ciulli.jpg

| caption =

| nationality = {{ITA}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|05|09|df=y}}

| birth_place = Florence, Italy

| height = 1.83 m

| weight = 73 kg

| strokes = S9 freestyle, butterfly

| club = C.C. Aniene - Fiamme Azzurre

| coach = Paolo Palchetti

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{ITA}}}}

}}

Simone Ciulli (born 9 May 1986) is an Italian swimmer who competes in Paralympic S9 events.{{Cite web |url=https://www.paralympic.org/simone-ciulli |title=Simone Ciulli - Swimming | Paralympic Athlete Profile |website=International Paralympic Committee}} and who has been a member of the Italian National Swim Team since 2013. In August 2021, he won a silver medal{{Cite web |title=Swimming - Final Results |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/swimming/results-men-s-4x100m-freestyle-relay-34-points-fnl-000100-.htm |access-date=16 September 2021 |work=Tokyo 2020 Olympics |publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |language=en-us}}{{dead link|date=July 2022}} at the XVI Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020. In September 2019, he won a bronze medal{{Cite web |url=https://www.paralympic.org/london-2019/schedule-results/info-live-results/swlo19/eng/zz/engzz_swimming-event-overview-swm109.htm |title=London 2019 - Schedule and Results |website=International Paralympic Committee |access-date=23 September 2019}} at the Paralympic World Swimming Championship in London. He has also won a silver{{Cite web |last=Masci |first=Federico |title=Mersin 2013: Simone Ciulli è medaglia d'argento nei 100 stile libero |url=http://www.comitatoparalimpico.it/dal-mondo-paralimpico/archivio-news-dal-mondo-paralimpico/173-mersin-2013-simone-ciulli- |access-date=16 September 2021 |website=www.comitatoparalimpico.it}} at the Mediterranean Games of Mersin in 2013 and two bronze medals{{Cite web |title=Funchal 2016 DAY 3 pomeriggio: Italian's night in Madeira, altre 7 le medaglie vinte oggi ! |url=https://www.finp.it/funchal-2016-day-3-pomeriggio-italians-night-madeira-altre-7-le-medaglie-vinte-oggi |access-date=16 September 2021 |website=www.finp.it |language=en}} at the European Championships in Funchal in 2016.

Career

Since birth, Ciulli has had cerebral palsy. This has caused him a half-paresis on the right side of his body and from perineuroma {{Cite web |url=http://www.ferraresistefano.com/1/tumori_dei_nervi_699938.html |title=tumori dei nervi {{!}} Microneurochirurgia Rovigo|website=www.ferraresistefano.com|access-date=2019-09-23}} which is located on his right sciatic nerve.

In 2012, he was introduced to the Paralympic organization and entered the world of Paralympic swimming by participating at the Italian Paralympic Swimming Championships in Pietralata, with Po.Ha.Fi. team. There, he was first classified as an S10, SM10 and SB9. At that meet, he broke two Italian records in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

In 2013, he was invited for the first time to join the Italian national Paralympic swimming team and competed for the red, white and green at his first international meet in Berlin.{{Cite web |url=https://www.tuttafirenze.it/da-berlino-con-furore/ |title=Da Berlino con furore |website=TuttaFirenze |language=it |access-date=23 September 2019}}

A few months later, he was invited, together with the paralympic champion Federico Morlacchi, to compete at the XVII Mediterranean Games, in Mersin Turkey, where he won the silver medal in the 100 freestyle with a time of 57 "14.{{Cite web |url=https://www.finp.it/simone-ciulli-argento-storico-ai-giochi-del-mediterraneo-2013 |title=Simone Ciulli argento storico ai Giochi del Mediterraneo 2013 |website=www.finp.it |access-date=23 September 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.abilitychannel.tv/special-video/simone-ciulli-nuoto-paralimpico/ |title=Simone Ciulli - Nuoto paralimpico |website=Ability Channel |language=it |access-date=23 September 2019 |archive-date=22 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722144825/https://www.abilitychannel.tv/special-video/simone-ciulli-nuoto-paralimpico/ |url-status=dead}}

That same year he was selected by the National Team to take part in the FINA World Cup for non-disabled swimmers in Eindhoven. There he won three gold medals in the 50 and 100 freestyle and the 100 IM. At that same event, he competed together with non-disabled athletes from the Italian National Swimming Team including, Gregorio Paltrinieri, Fabio Scozzoli, Ilaria Bianchi and Federico Turrini.{{Cite web |url=https://finp.it/simone-ciulli-al-fina-world-cup-2013 |title=Simone Ciulli al FINA World Cup 2013 |website=finp.it |access-date=23 September 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.swim4lifemagazine.it/2013/08/02/paralimpico-simone-ciulli-alla-world-cup-di-eindhoven-ipc-sempre-piu-fina-con-la-world-cup-integrata/ |title=Paralimpico: Simone Ciulli alla World Cup di Eindhoven. IPC sempre più FINA con la World Cup integrata. |last=Clienti |first=Paco |date=2 August 2013 |website=Swim4Life Magazine |language=it |access-date=23 September 2019}}

In August 2014 at the European Paralympic Swimming Championships in Eindhoven, he broke the Italian S10 long course national record with a time of 25"18, while placing fourth in the event. In Eindhoven, he also set the Italian S10 national backstroke record in the 4x100 mixed relay with a time of 1'04"69.{{Cite web |url=https://www.swim4lifemagazine.it/2014/12/01/simone-ciulli-rilancia-e-punta-a-mondiali-e-record-del-mondo-dei-100-dorso/ |title=Simone Ciulli rilancia e punta a Mondiali e Record del Mondo dei 100 dorso. |last=Clienti |first=Paco |date=1 December 2014 |website=Swim4Life Magazine |language=it |access-date=23 September 2019}}

In 2015, he once again was invited to join the National swim team to compete in an international meet in Berlin where he established two new Italian national S10 records in the 100 freestyle with a time of 56"35 and in the 100 butterfly, with a time of 1'00"88. These times were just a few tenths of a second away for the qualifying time for 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ccaniene.com/nuoto-paralimpico-risultati-meeting-internazionale-di-berlino/ |title=NUOTO PARALIMPICO: Risultati Meeting Internazionale di Berlino |date=22 April 2015 |website=Circolo Canottieri Aniene |language=it-IT |access-date=26 September 2019}}

In 2016 at the European Championships in Funchal he won two bronze medals. One in the 50 freestyle with a time of 25"40 and the other in the 4x100 mixed relay.{{Cite web |url=https://www.swim4lifemagazine.it/2016/04/12/simone-ciulli-sogna-la-completa-integrazione-tra-olimpici-e-paralimpici/ |title=Simone Ciulli sogna la completa integrazione tra olimpici e paralimpici! |last=Porzio |first=Ciro |date=12 April 2016 |website=Swim4Life Magazine |language=it |access-date=23 September 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.finp.it/funchal-2016-day-3-sessione-pomeriggio-litalia-del-nuoto-paralimpico-cala-il-poker |title=Funchal 2016 DAY 3 sessione pomeriggio: l'Italia del nuoto paralimpico cala il poker ! |website=www.finp.it |access-date=23 September 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.finp.it/funchal-2016-day-3-pomeriggio-italians-night-madeira-altre-7-le-medaglie-vinte-oggi |title=Funchal 2016 DAY 3 pomeriggio: Italian's night in Madeira, altre 7 le medaglie vinte oggi ! |website=www.finp.it |access-date=23 September 2019}}

In 2017 at the Italian Winter Paralympic Swimming Championships held in Portici, he became the first Italian Paralympic athlete to swim the 50 freestyle under 25 seconds (24"89) and the 100 freestyle under 55 seconds (54"77), also establishing the new national short course records.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ccaniene.com/nuoto-incetta-medaglie-record-ai-campionati-nazionali-assoluti-invernali/ |title=Nuoto, pioggia di medaglie e record ai Campionati Nazionali Assoluti Invernali |date=5 April 2017 |website=Circolo Canottieri Aniene |language=it-IT |access-date=26 September 2019}}

At the 2019 World Series in Lignano, he was reclassified as an S9, SM9 SB8 swimmer because the tumor located on his right sciatic nerve grew and progressively hampered the functionality of his lower right leg.

In September 2019, he represented Italy at the World Paralympic Swimming Championships in London, where he won a bronze medal in the 50 metres freestyle with a time of 26"04 and he became World Champion with the National Team of Italy.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/sport/nuoto/2019/09/16/mattarella-chiama-pancalli-bravi_f379be8d-bc4b-4914-bdd3-552a171405f1.html |title=Mattarella chiama Pancalli "Bravi" - Nuoto |date=16 September 2019 |website=Agenzia ANSA |language=it |access-date=23 September 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.nuoto.com/2019/09/17/conte-elogia-il-nuoto-paralimpico/ |title=Conte elogia il nuoto paralimpico |date=17 September 2019 |website=Nuoto.com |language=it |access-date=23 September 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.repubblica.it/speciali/sportsenzabarriere/news/2019/09/16/news/mondiali_di_nuoto_paralimpico_l_italia_e_campione_del_mondo-236137281/ |title=Mondiali di nuoto paralimpico: l'Italia è campione del mondo |date=16 September 2019 |website=Repubblica.it |language=it |access-date=23 September 2019}}

In August 2021, he was called to XVI Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020, winning a silver medal in the 4x100 freestyle relay with the time of 3'.45''.89 that was a new European Record.{{Cite web |title=Paralimpiadi, Italia d'argento nella 4x100 stile libero |url=https://corrieredellosport.it/news/olimpiadi/2021/08/30-84939516/paralimpiadi_italia_d_argento_nella_4x100_stile_libero |access-date=16 September 2021 |website=corrieredellosport.it |language=it}}

In August 2024, he was called to XVII Paralympic Games in Paris 2024, where, due to an injury, he was unable to go beyond 12th position in the 50 freestyle.https://www.instagram.com/simoneciulli_ita/p/C_lPJY1i30l/?locale=en_CA&hl=af

Extra-competitive activities

In 2011 he graduated with a master's degree in Law and subsequently, in 2015 passed the Bar exam to earn his license to practice. He has elected to not pursue his law career until he retires from competitive swimming.

Concurrently in 2014, he obtain a number of state certifications to expand his expertise in swimming and water safety. His certifications include, life guard, second level triathlon trainer, water polo instructor, various fitness instructor, swim school coordinator, as well as sports and facilities management.{{Cite web |url=http://toscana.comitatoparalimpico.it/showquestion.php?faq=74&fldAuto=499 |title=CIP Toscana |website=toscana.comitatoparalimpico.it |access-date=26 September 2019}}

Since 2010, he has also been the head coach Klab Nuoto Master Swim Team in Florence, Italy. He has built the program from scratch currently counts over 100 athletes: {{as of|2019|lc=y}}, Klab Nuoto Masters has won six consecutive Italian Master Swimming Championships U.I.S.P.{{Cite web |url=http://tirrenonotizie.blogspot.com/2019/07/sesta-vittoria-per-la-squadra-master.html |title=Tirreno Notizie: Sesta vittoria per la squadra nuoto master Klab Florence Sport |date=16 July 2019 |website=Tirreno Notizie |accessdate=23 September 2019}}

Additionally, since 2016 he has been the personal trainer of Noura Mana, who is a member of the Moroccan National Swimming Team and who participated in the Olympic Games of Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Under Ciulli's guidance, she has broken two Moroccan national records, in the 50 freestyle (25 and 50 metres). She has won a bronze medal at the 2019 Pan-African Games in Casablanca and has also participated at the World Short Course Championships in 2018 in Hangzhou.{{Cite web |url=https://klabnuotomaster.wordpress.com/atleti/ |title=Atleti |date=7 November 2011 |website=Klab Nuoto Master |language=it-IT |access-date=26 September 2019}}