Why Sergio Massidda Needs 110% at the European Weightlifting Championships

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In less than a year, Sergio Massidda made Italy’s National Team. “Sebastiano Corbu, our technical director, saw my potential,” he explained when we asked how he got started in weightlifting. “After 10 months of training, I was called up.”

Sergio started making international podiums when he was 17. By the end of Paris qualification, he was top five in the world. Then he bombed out on the Olympic stage.

In autumn 2025, Sergio showed up to European Juniors. He hit 134/165 at 65KG and won, kicking off his comeback tour. 

Next up? The ‘26 European Weightlifting Championships, which start next month. 

Sergio isn’t flinching. We talked about his hiatus, comeback plans, Team Italy's social media stardom, and more.

Below is our conversation with European and World silver medalist Sergio Massidda, who will take the stage at the European Weightlifting Championships in Batumi, Georgia, next month.

Portions of this interview have been edited.

Weightlifting House (WH): What happened to cause Team Italy's underperformance in Paris 2024?

Sergio Massidda (SM): "I think I was the only one who underperformed at the Olympics. I had a mental breakdown due to the pressure I felt from social media, the vast number of people who were there to see me—which I wasn't used to—and, above all, the pressure of winning an Olympic medal.

I think my physical condition [in Paris] was good enough to do 140KG in the snatch and 170KG in the clean & jerk. At the time, my plan was to evaluate my attempts against my opponents to position myself for a medal."

WH: How does social media affect the athletes on Team Italy?

SM: "We are aware of our popularity. The team tries to leverage it as much as possible to raise awareness about weightlifting in Italy. It's a relatively unpopular sport here. It doesn't necessarily impact the training itself; knowing that so many people follow us and admire what we do motivates me to strive for more."

WH: What did you do during your hiatus from competition after the Olympics?

SM: "Paris was a huge disappointment. After the Olympics, I went through a long and difficult period. I wanted to participate in the World Championships in Bahrain (2024), but my federation and I decided I wasn't ready, neither mentally nor physically.

At the beginning of 2025, I had to undergo surgery that required half a year of rehabilitation. I wasn't 100% fit when I came back at the U23 European Championships, but it was a necessary step."

WH: How did you get into weightlifting?

SM: "My story begins in January 2016, at a CrossFit gym in Sardinia. Two weeks after I started, the coach there suggested I participate in a local weightlifting competition. I met Sebastiano Corbu, our technical director, there, who saw promising potential in me.

From that day on, he took over my training. After about 10 months, I was called up to the National Team. From that moment, my true passion for weightlifting began." 

WH: What are your goals for this year? 

SM: "Right now, as I have been since recovering from my injury, I'm training to reach 110% at the European Weightlifting Championships. I know that [Muhammad Furkan] Ozbek, the current World Champion, is my main opponent. I don't intend to arrive unprepared.

I am a very ambitious person. In my career, I have won one Youth World Championships and two Juniors. The dream would be to win Senior Worlds and close that loop before I face the next Olympics."

WH: What do people in Italy misunderstand about the lives of weightlifters?

SM: "In Italy, non-athletes don't grasp the sacrifices required for a sport like ours. It requires consistency. Nothing can be left to chance. Being overweight or skipping a workout isn't allowed. Regular people don't understand these things."