World shot put silver medallist Leonardo Fabbri produced one of the longest throws in history by a European thrower on home soil in Modena on Wednesday (1) evening.
With the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships only 35 days away, Fabbri produced an incredible effort of 22.88m in the fifth round to move to third on the European all-time list behind former East German Ulf Timmermann (23.06m) and Fabbri’s compatriot and role model Alessandro Andrei who still holds the Italian record - for now, at least - with 22.91m.
"And to think that I had a fever of 38 for two days and I felt a bit weak. Having thrown 22.88m without still being 100% is confirmation of my potential," said Fabbri as quoted by FIDAL.
Fabbri’s winning effort - one of three throws in excess of 22 metres alongside marks of 22.01m and 22.45m in the fourth and sixth round respectively - corresponded to the longest throw by a European since 1988 and in a global setting, the 27-year-old now sits at seventh on the world all-time list.
On the road to Roma 2024 from 7-12 June, Fabbri has three more competition on home soil in Savona (15 May), Lucca (19 May) and Asti (23 May) before the Golden Spike in Ostrava on 28 May when he is likely to face some of the world’s best exponents in the event.
And then Fabbri's attentions will turn to the European Athletics Championships and the prospect of becoming the first Italian winner of the shot put title in championship history on home soil in the Stadio Olimpico.
"I would like to make the Stadio Olimpico go crazy. Winning at home and getting on the podium together with [Zane] Weir would be something unique," he said.
Elsewhere in Modena, European cross country silver medallist Nadia Battocletti won the 1500m in 4:03.50, just outside her lifetime best of 4:03.34.
Steven Mills for European Athletics