Sergio Massidda Interview – at the 2023 WWC in Riyadh
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Meet another highly promising and powerful 22-year-old weightlifter from Italy Sergio Massidda who’s competing in the 61-kg weight division.
Having impressed us with his performance by taking two silver medals in Snatch and total in the Men’s 61-kg division, stopping one step before the winning podium in Riyadh, he changed his training regime to improve the results.
The reason is clear: he didn’t dream of taking silver, he just wanted to get a medal.
Read the full report about each day of the Weightlifting at 2024 Olympics prepared by our media team. Don’t miss the opportunity to stay updated and follow this great event in the Olympic weightlifting world with us from the very beginning till the end!
The Unfolding Story of a Powerful Skinny Lifter Who Raises the Hopes of the Whole Nation
His remarkable results speak for themselves: clinching gold in the 55-kg category at the 2018 Youth World Competition, then gaining his first silver at the 2022 Senior Europeans in Albania by lifting over 300 kilos in total. That was a prominent achievement for Italy as nobody managed to do it.
We had an interview with this Italian weightlifter during the World Championships in Riyadh to find out some interesting facts about his lifting career and interests except for weightlifting that make this talented athlete competitive among supposed leaders in the category.
About the Bright Rise of a New Star and Ambitions for the 2024 Olympic Games
At the 2023 Worlds in Saudi Arabia, Sergio won 2 silver medals, in Snatch and total in the 61-kg weight category, resulting in a very impressive performance.
- You won your first world medals. How was it?
“So after the last Worlds 2023 where I finished in 4th place, just one step before the podium, we did a great amount of work to improve the result, so this achievement means a lot to me.”
“And this time I didn’t have a goal to get a silver medal, I just had a dream to win a medal.”
The world noticed that a 17-year-old Sergio clinched gold in the men’s 55-kg event at the 2019 Youth World Champ. After that, he won a bunch of medals at the Junior Worlds and European Championships. Also, last year in Albania, he won his first silver medal at Senior Europeans. For the Italian team, this achievement is really big since Italy didn’t have such a strong lightweight lifter before.
“It is the first time in history that a silver medal from Worlds is in my weight class, as well as a total over 300 kg, so yes it is BIG!”
Consistent progress in sports is the goal of all coaches and athletes. His coach Sebastiano Corbu definitely knows the secret, because during the last three years, he added 50 kilos in total without changing body weight and weight class.
Revealing the Secrets of Massidda’s Rapid Success
“It is very simple: no vacation, no parties, everyday training, even on Sundays. Everything is simple: we lift every day, two sessions up to 1:30 each, so in total it is over 20 hours of training in the whole week.”
It was interesting for us to know what school built such talented, technical, and strong lifters for the National team, as well as who built his technique. Sergio replied:
“Sebastiano Corbu is my first coach and my technique is his result of working with me.”
Massidda started his Olympic weightlifting journey 8 years ago. Sergio’s dedication began to shape him mentally and physically. He gained strength, by perfecting his technique, understanding his body, and pushing his limits.
We asked Sergio whether he remembered himself at the very start, while he answered with a joke:
“I weighed 50 kg and I think I was the thinnest person on Earth.”
It was interesting to know what advice he could give himself at the very beginning of his lifting career.
“Live for yourself and work hard every day, cause all I did brought me here and helped me reach these results.”
- What is your main focus on training?
“Focus is simple – lift more kilos!”
With such great achievements under his belt and big ambitions, Sergio stands in front of the biggest challenge: the Olympic Games. So, is it more important to focus on the results in Snatch and Clean & Jerk, or just set a goal to get a place on the podium.
We were curious about what was more important for Sergio – the result in kilos or place on the podium.
“At the moment the result is more important for the Olympic qualification. We focused more on qualification, and not on the medal. A medal as a consequence!”
- What are your strong and weak sides?
“Legs are my strong side, while deadlift is a weak one. I did just 220 kg and in the Clean Pull – 200 kg for 1 rep.”
He added that the most problematic in Clean & Jerk for him is doing Jerk because of a lack of proper technique.
- Snatch or Clean & Jerk?
“Snatch!”
- What is the problem in C&J?
“Jerk”.
- What type of music do you like?
“Rap and Reggaeton”.
- What is your dream?
“Become an Olympic Champion”
- When?
“In Paris”
Conclusion
Sergio Massidda is a gifted young weightlifter who expresses ultimate dedication, resilience, and passion for his dreams that will soon turn into reality. His story inspires not just newbies in weightlifting, but anyone with a big dream. Sergio Massidda is a beacon of hope, expressing dedication, resilience, and passion.
We were constantly tracing the trajectory of this Italian powerhouse who transformed into a global weightlifting sensation.
Watch how history is waiting for the great achievements of new winners. Subscribe to our updates and stay tuned for the next interviews on our blog and YouTube channel.
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Author: Tanya Shaiko
News Editor, Olympic Lifting Enthusiast
Best Results: Snatch – 61 kg,
C&J – 78 kg
I’m Tanya, and I just can’t do without fitness. About six years ago, I got into Olympic weightlifting and instantly fell in love with it. Weightlifting is like no other sport – it’s just you versus the bar. Driven by my unwavering passion for an active lifestyle, I’ve been eager to share my personal journey and sports enthusiasm with others. As a journalist and photographer, my interests come full circle, adding an extra dimension to the news column that I curate. This way, I keep my readers updated with the latest happenings in the sports world.