Leonardo Fioravanti, like Jannik Sinner, is the new world No. 1

Following in the footsteps of Jannik Sinner in tennis and Kimi Antonelli in motorsports, there is another Italian who can claim a world record in his discipline. He is Leonardo Fioravanti, a 28-year-old surfer from Rome, who is making history for Italian surfing.

In just over ten days, Fioravanti has achieved two milestones never before reached by an Italian athlete. The first came on June 14, when he claimed his first victory in a stop on the Championship Tour—the most prestigious circuit in world surfing—by triumphing on the waves of El Salvador. The second, even more significant achievement, took place on June 26 in Saquarema, Brazil, where he became the first Italian ever to top the world rankings.

In the Brazilian event, the Rome native finished in second place, losing only to local favorite Yago Dora, the defending champion. For Fioravanti, this marks his seventh career podium finish on the top international circuit, a result that confirms his consistency at the pinnacle of the sport. The real turning point, however, had already come in the semifinals. By defeating Brazilian João Chianca in front of his home crowd, the Italian had secured the points needed to leap to the top of the overall standings, writing an indelible chapter in the history of Italian sports.

Fresh off his Olympic appearances in Tokyo and Paris, Fioravanti is now preparing to take center stage once again. From August 8 to 18, he will compete in Tahiti, where he will take to the water wearing the yellow jersey reserved for the world ranking leader for the first time.