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SHANGHAI (AP) — Having just won a second consecutive 400-meter freestyle world title, Federica Pellegrini propped herself up on a lane rope, let out a wide smile and clapped her hands.

After what shes gone through the last two years, the 22-year-old Italian had every right to.

Just a few short months after Pellegrini swept the 200 and 400 free in front of her home fans at the last worlds in Rome in 2009, her coach Alberto Castagnetti died unexpectedly while recovering from heart surgery.

While she is mostly dominant inside the pool, Pellegrini sometimes shows a fragile psyche and Castagnetti, who competed at the 1972 Munich Olympics, had provided a level of consistency for her.

Having canceled a scheduled training block in the United States while mourning Castagnetti, Pellegrini began working with Italy coach Stefano Morini last year but that relationship fizzled after she finished just seventh in the 200 at the short-course worlds in Dubai in December, her first loss in the event in nearly four years.

That prompted a move to Paris, where Pellegrini began working with Philippe Lucas, who once coached Pellegrinis former rival, Laure Manaudou.

Then came news last month that Pellegrini had split with her longtime boyfriend and teammate Luca Marin.

It looked like all the turmoil may have been slowing Pellegrini down during the first half of Sundays race, but after touching just fifth at the 200 mark she surged into the lead one lap later and cruised to victory in 4 minutes, 1.97 seconds.

“I knew I could race it like that. Slowly but surely Im starting to feel things that I havent felt in two years,” Pellegrini said. “What really pleases me, though, is the way I approach races now – it doesnt even seem like Im at a world championship.

“In Rome I couldnt eat or sleep, while here everything is much calmer,” she added.

Meanwhile, Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington showed why shell be a medal contender next year at her home London Games by taking silver, albeit a distant 2.04 behind, and Camille Muffat of France took the bronze, 2.09 back.

It didnt matter that Pellegrini was well off her world mark of 3:59.15 set at the 2009 worlds before high-tech bodysuits were banned 18 months ago.

“That was a great victory, she really constructed the race well,” Lucas said.

Adlington, who struggled to two bronzes at the 2009 worlds, was also satisfied after finishing just seventh in morning heats.

“I was quite down after my heat as I didnt expect to swim so slowly but I picked myself up and that was so much more positive tonight,” she said. “I saw a pair of feet in the distance, figured it was Pellegrini and knew I couldnt catch her as shes so far ahead at the moment.

“Im just pleased to get the silver behind her,” Adlington added. “Two years ago in Rome I took the bronze so this meet is better for me already.”

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