The Sardinian weightlifter, new European junior champion: “I’ll go to the Olympics for gold”
SASSARI. He saw the Tokyo Olympics sitting comfortably on the sofa at home. “But I’ll be there in Paris, I’m going to get my gold.” Sergio Massidda, the talent of Ghilarza, 19 years old, the new European junior weightlifting champion in the 61 kilos category with a total of 280 kilos (154 kilos in the momentum and 126 in the snatch) aims straight at the goal.
Congratulations Sergio, it went very well at the European Championships in Finland.
“Better than expected, I came from a wrist injury.”
Double satisfaction.
«Triple, I would say, first of all I won the first European junior title in the new Olympic category of 61 kilos after winning the world championships in May. Then on race day I lifted more kilos than I could do in training. Finally, I beat my long time rival, the Bulgarian Gabriel Marinov who had to settle for bronze. I took my personal revenge, I had been trying to beat him for years, he had a face when he got on the podium ».
You are the strongest guy in the world. Twice world champion in 2019 at just 17 years old, Youth and Junior, another gold in May at the junior world championships in Uzbekistan, now the Europeans. It doesn’t stop anymore.
«It is a golden moment, the work is bearing fruit. I have to thank the technical director of the national team Sebastiano Corbu. It is he who discovered me, in Uri, while I was doing a crossfit competition. He told me “good continue to train”. After a year he summoned me to Rome, in the national team. It is thanks to him that I now collect gold ».
How heavy was it not being in Tokyo?
«Unfortunately the category in which I competed, that of 55 kilos, was not present at the Tokyo Games. Now I have grown up and have risen in the category, 61 kilos, the Olympic one. However, even though I was not physically with my teammates, I suffered with them when they got on the platform in Tokyo. I cheered like crazy, especially for Davide Ruiu, my best friend. Corbu did an exceptional job: silver for Bordignon, bronze for Zanni and Pizzolato. What emotions, I hope to experience them too in Paris ».
His Olympics will be that of Paris, the appointment is for 2024 that is around the corner.
“It’s my goal, I’m giving it my all. Now after the European Championships I took a few days off to go to Ghilarza to visit my family but since Monday I am returning to Rome to resume training. My dream is to go to Paris and return to Sardinia with the gold medal around my neck ».
Meanwhile, he has been called up for the Senior World Cup scheduled for December in Uzbekistan.
“It will be a good test, there will be the strongest weightlifters in the world, and even bigger than me since it’s over 20. But I’m not scared.”
Is there time for love between training, gold medals and competitions?
“I’m single now. The story with Giulia Imperio (weightlifter) is over but I am delighted that she too won the European title. Now I have to think only of Paris ».