Mexico City 2017: Carlotta Gilli vs. Rebecca Meyers

Italy’s Carlotta Gilli may have made her international debut only earlier this year, but has already shown huge potential ahead of the Mexico City 2017 World Para Swimming Championships, between 2 and 7 December.

The 16-year-old competed at two international events in her country, one in Germany and another in the Netherlands, winning numerous races and setting four world records in the 50m butterfly S13 (twice), 50m freestyle S13 and 200m individual medley SM13 along the way.

With her first World Championships fast approaching, Gilli is preparing to face her strongest opponent to date: USA’s three-time Paralympic champion Rebecca Meyers.

The 23-year-old has also enjoyed a successful year so far, competing at two World Series in Sheffield, Great Britain, and Indianapolis, USA, and winning multiple races. Now Meyers aims to increase her medal tally at Worlds, which currently stands at seven including four golds and three silvers.

In Mexico City, she will face Gilli in the women’s 50m and 100m freestyle S13, 400m freestyle S11-13, 200m individual medley SM11-13 and 100m butterfly S11-13.

Head to Head

PERSONAL INFO

Gilli: Nationality: Italy. Age: 16

Meyers: Nationality: USA. Age: 23

PARALYMPIC GAMES

Gilli: Games: 0

Medals: 0

Meyers: Games: 2 (2012, 2016)

Medals: 6 (3 golds, 2 silvers, 1 bronze)

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Gilli: Will make her debut at Mexico City 2017

Meyers: Championships: 2 (2013, 2015)

Medals: 7 (4 golds, 3 silvers)

DID YOU KNOW?

Gilli: Multiple-Olympic champion Michael Phelps, Italian Olympic gold medallist Federica Pellegrini and Italian World champion Filippo Magnini are her sporting idols

Meyers: Received the ESPY award for Best Female with an Impairment in 2015 and 2017 from US television network ESPN

All Head to Heads can be found on Mexico City 2017’s website.