Leonardo Fabbri drops his hat trick in Lievin

Leonardo Fabbri drops his hat trick in Lievin. The Azzurro weightlifter wins the first big match of the year against American Joe Kovacs, three-time Olympic silver medalist: 21.82 vs. 21.40. For the third consecutive year, the European champion celebrates success in the Gold stage in France, one of the main events of the World Indoor Tour.

On his debut in the indoor season, the Aeronautica’s holder, the 2026 world leader after the 22.50 outdoor recorded last week in Stellenbosch at the end of the training period in South Africa, goes straight to the mark. After a 20.37, the Florentine, a rainbow bronze medalist in Tokyo, took the lead with 21.63 in response to the American’s initial 21.40. He continued with a null, then 21.17 and another null, while in the last round he managed to increase.

American Roger Steen, world indoor silver medalist, finished third with 21.38. Fabbri’s winter campaign will continue on Sunday in Torun and Feb. 25 in Nehvizdy in the Czech Republic before the Ancona Indoor Absolute: Feb. 27 at PalaCasali on Friday afternoon, with free admission for all spectators.

“I feel that the technical gesture is becoming more and more stable, this year we can really have fun – the Italian had said to Sky Sport microphones after the Stellenbosch meeting -. I can say that I am satisfied with how I worked here in South Africa and I am ready to return to Europe to compete and to start measuring myself against the other best in the world”.