The men's shot put has been dominated by Americans Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs for nearly a decade. Italian upstart Leonardo Fabbri is making quite a sacrifice in order to break the Americans' hold on gold and silver entering the Paris Olympics. He gave up pizza and cut down his pasta intake and lost 55 pounds. The results have been encouraging and were highlighted by his first victory over Crouser in the final Diamond League meet before the Paris Olympics. Fabbri says “it’s not easy. But when you see the results you do it more willingly.”

When Leonardo Fabbri went and analyzed what went wrong with his performance at the Tokyo Olympics — where the Italian shot putter missed qualifying for the final by 10 centimeters — he didn’t focus on his bout with COVID-19 or his various injuries that year. Or even his technique.

The answer came when he looked in the mirror.

Weighing in at 330 pounds (150 kilograms), Fabbri realized that his biggest problem was his waistline.

That’s when he decided to drastically change his diet, cutting out pizza entirely — no small sacrifice for an Italian — and limiting his pasta intake.

He lost 55 pounds (25 kilograms) over two years, earned the silver medal at last year’s world championships, gold at the European championships in June and now has designs on challenging Americans Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs at the Paris Games when the men’s shot put competition starts on Friday.

“It’s not easy. I'm trying to eat only vegetables,” Fabbri said. “But when you see the results, you do it more willingly.”

World-record holder Crouser and Kovacs have dominated the shot put for nearly a decade, finishing 1-2 at the past two Olympics. But Fabbri beat Crouser in the final Diamond League meet before the Paris Olympics and has the second-longest mark in the world this year at 22.95 meters.

Weighing in now at 275 pounds (125 kilograms), Fabbri feels like he can maneuver more swiftly as he twists around until the launching point -- thus producing more power.

He still eats six times a day but has only one full meal — at lunch. That meal sometimes includes one of his favorite dishes: Bistecca alla Fiorentina, the Florentine version of steak, similar to a T-bone.

“When I’m in Florence, I never miss that,” said Fabbri, who is from the Renaissance city.

Fabbri reads books about Buddhism and meditates every morning during competitions.

“They’re things that were introduced to me by my mental coach,” he said.

Fabbri’s athletics coach, Paolo Dal Soglio, finished fourth in the shot put at the 1996 Atlanta Games — missing out on a medal by a centimeter.

“I want to win a medal for Paolo, too,” Fabbri said.

Former shot put world record holder and 1984 Olympic gold medalist Alessandro Andrei is also from Florence but Fabbri only met him for the first time earlier this year.

Fabbri’s biggest source of inspiration came from watching his teammates perform in other events in Tokyo.

Italy had its best Olympic track and field performance in Tokyo with five golds, highlighted by Marcell Jacobs winning the 100 meters and Gianmarco Tamberi the high jump, plus gold in the men’s 4x100 relay.

“Up until recently, seeing Italians doing well at the Olympics or a world championship seemed impossible, so when you see a lot of them doing well it makes you realize that it’s something possible and it pushes you even more,” Fabbri said. “It’s a hugely inspiring.”

Fabbri's Sacrifice - A Journey of Discipline and Dedication

Fabbri's transformation is a testament to the power of discipline and dedication. The decision to give up pizza, a staple of Italian cuisine, and limit pasta intake speaks volumes about his commitment to reaching his peak performance. This sacrifice, while challenging, has yielded significant results, enabling Fabbri to improve his agility and power.

Motivated by Teammates' Success

Fabbri's inspiration from his teammates' performance at the Tokyo Olympics underlines the importance of a strong team environment in fostering success. Witnessing the achievements of his fellow athletes ignited a spark in him, demonstrating the possibility of success and pushing him to strive for greater heights. The collective triumph of the Italian team at the Tokyo Olympics served as a powerful catalyst for Fabbri's personal journey.

Olympics 2024: A Chance for Fabbri to Shine

The Paris Olympics present Fabbri with a unique opportunity to solidify his place among the shot put elite. With his newfound agility and power, he is poised to challenge the dominance of Crouser and Kovacs. Fabbri's performance at the final Diamond League meet, where he defeated Crouser, indicates his readiness to compete at the highest level. The world awaits with anticipation to see if Fabbri can achieve his dream of an Olympic medal, a testament to his unwavering dedication and determination.