European Athletics Championships: Italy Dominates the Shot Put; Fabbri Takes Gold Ahead of Weir

Italy dominates the shot put: the Italian team couldn’t have gotten off to a better start at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. Leonardo Fabbri, the pre-tournament favorite and reigning European champion, won the gold medal, living up to expectations and defending the title he claimed two years ago at the European Championships in Rome.

The 29-year-old Tuscan athlete, who holds the world season’s best, was the star of a final that built to a crescendo, reaching a distance of 22.31—unattainable for his rivals. Second place and the silver medal went to another Italian: Zane Weir secured the runner-up spot with a throw of 21.12 on his first attempt. These are Italy’s first two medals at the continental championships.

The European indoor champion finished ahead of Sweden’s Wictor Petersson, who took third place with a throw of 20.97 and the bronze medal. The other Italian in the competition, Nick Ponzio, finished in sixth place with 20.76, behind the British host Scott Lincolt, who placed fourth with 20.81, and Romania’s Andrei Toader (20.80). There was a clear gap between them and Leonardo Fabbri, who dominated the competition, confirming his supremacy on the European stage.

Fabbri’s path to this European gold had been paved with outstanding results on the world stage as well. At the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, the Italian athlete had won the bronze medal in the shot put, contributing to Italy’s record medal haul, which totaled seven medals. This result had further solidified his position among the top specialists on the international stage.

The Italian one-two finish in the shot put is part of a record-breaking Italian delegation in Birmingham: Italy arrived at the European Championships with 132 athletes—70 men and 62 women—the largest delegation ever, surpassing the previous record of 116 athletes at the 2024 European Championships in Rome. This is a sign of the extraordinary growth of Italian track and field, which aims to reaffirm its position at the top of the continent in this edition of the championships as well, scheduled through Sunday, August 16, at Alexander Stadium.