A Historic First World Title for Italy

At just 18 years old, Matteo Santoro has emerged as one of the brightest rising stars in international diving. On Wednesday, at the World Aquatics Championships held in Singapore, the young Italian clinched the gold medal in the 3-meter mixed synchronized springboard event alongside his partner Chiara Pellacani. This marks a historic moment for Italy — the country’s very first gold medal in a synchronized diving event at the World Championships.

The Italian duo outperformed the Australian team of Cassiel Rousseau and Maddison Keeney, who took silver. The Chinese pair, Cheng Zilong and Li Yajie, completed the podium with bronze.

A Love Story Proudly Embraced

This career-defining win for Santoro came shortly after he went public with his relationship with Spanish diver Max Linan, 19. The couple celebrated one year together with a heartfelt Instagram post. In an interview with Outsports, Linan confirmed that both he and Santoro are open and proud about their sexuality.

Linan, who is also competing in Singapore, finished 23rd out of 59 in the men’s 1-meter individual springboard and placed 14th in the 3-meter synchronized event with teammate Juan Cortes. Both Linan and Santoro are set to participate in the 3-meter individual competition scheduled for Thursday.

After Santoro’s gold-medal win, Linan took to Instagram to share a celebratory story, featuring emojis of a gold medal and tears of joy to congratulate Santoro and Pellacani.

Exceptional Team Chemistry

Hailing from Rome, Matteo Santoro has often been hailed as a diving prodigy. He made his senior World Championship debut in 2022 in Budapest, where he and Pellacani already earned a silver medal. Over the course of multiple international competitions — including World Championships, European Championships, and European Games — the pair has collected eight medals in mixed synchronized diving.

Their bond is clearly a key ingredient in their success. “We’re almost like brother and sister,” Santoro has said of his partnership with Pellacani. After their gold medal performance in Singapore, he shared:

“I’m so happy. With Chiara, I can stay calm. I did breathing exercises to help distract myself. Tomorrow is the individual 3-meter event. I’ll celebrate tonight, but I have to refocus quickly.”

A New Chapter Begins in Miami

Starting in August, Santoro will take the next step in his career by joining the University of Miami in the United States. He will become part of the Miami Hurricanes swimming and diving team — the same program that already trains his long-time teammate, Chiara Pellacani.

“We know each other so well, which helps us a lot,” said Pellacani. “We understand each other’s diving styles. I’m excited for Matteo to join me in Miami so we can practice together more often.”

Following in the Footsteps of LGBT+ Diving Legends

With this victory, Santoro joins a proud legacy of openly gay divers who’ve made waves in the sport. Icons like American Greg Louganis — five-time world champion between 1978 and 1986 — Australian Olympic gold medalist Matthew Mitcham, British legend Tom Daley — a four-time world champion — and Mathew Helm, who claimed synchronized gold in 2003, have all paved the way.

Thanks to his exceptional talent and unapologetic visibility, Matteo Santoro is now becoming an inspiring role model for a new generation of young LGBTQ+ athletes.

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