BIO
Gianfranco Schiaretta lives in the Bloomfield/Friendship neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh PA. His most significant highlight has to be his selection for the USA Down Syndrome Swimming National Team in 2022. The national team participated at the 10th Down Syndrome World Swimming Championships sponsored by the Down Syndrome International Swimming Organization(DSISO), held in Albufeira, Portugal. Specifically, later we were informed that Gianfranco set a regional record for his age group in the 100 meter breast stroke. This special invitation and opportunity came about because of the many years of competitive swimming that Gianfranco participated in his hometown area at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Gianfranco has been swimming since his earliest days in the bathtub. His first swimsuit in the pool was a “swimmies”. In 2007 at the age of eight he began his competitive swimming when he joined his first Special Olympics team, the JCC Special Olympics Team. They participated in the county wide competition at the University of Pittsburgh, where he won his first swimming medals. His Special Olympics swimming has continued till the present. Between Special Olympics events Gianfranco swam on club teams through eighth grade with Blackridge Swim Club and Team Pitt Aquatic Club, both clubs participated in USA Swim sanctioned events. When he entered Bishop Canevin High School, as a freshman, he qualified for the varsity swim team. Later in 2015 Bishop Canevin Swim Team merged into the Carlington High School Swim team, where 1st place 2A Sectional wins were won at the WPIAL Districts in the next four consecutive years. Also to mark his High School swim experience, Gianfranco lettered in all four years, culminating with graduation in 2017. To be noted the High School swim teams practiced Monday through Saturday, 2 and 1/2 hours per day.
Since 2007 Gianfranco participated every year in the local, regional and the Pennsylvania State Special Olympics events. Specifically since 2017 he has been on the North Stars Special Olympics team, and in these past six years he has improved his seed times in qualifying for the Allegheny County, Western Pennsylvania regional and The Pennsylvania statewide Special Olympics, were event participation is based on qualification measured by minimum seed times for each stroke event.
Even though the Pennsylvania State Special Olympics Championship in June 2022 at Penn State University was canceled, Gianfranco had qualified in three events. In his last 2021 state event, Gianfranco beat his seed times and received gold for the 100yd IM; gold in the 100yd breast stroke; and silver in the 100yd freestyle.
A final thought representing Gianfranco’s enthusiasm for the sport of swimming. Upon being invited to join the national USA Down Syndrome team in 2022, “ I am so excited to have been selected for the national team” and “ I can’t wait to represent Pittsburgh, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States at the World competition”. When preparing for any swim competition event Gianfranco’s sentiment has been consistent “it is a lot of hard work but it is worth it!”
