Silvio Catanoso, the weightlifting champion from Gers, confirmed his national supremacy by winning a fifth consecutive gold medal at the French masters championships on April 4th in Narbonne.
It will take a lot to dethrone him. Silvio Catanoso is truly the undisputed king of weightlifting in his age category in France. Last weekend, the Gersois shone brightly at the aptly named Le Soleil gymnasium in Narbonne, the venue for the French masters championships.
Competing in the under 79 kg category for 65-69 year-olds, the athlete from Auch once again dominated by lifting 80 kg in the snatch and 105 kg in the clean and jerk, for a total of 185 kg. An impressive performance, although his shoes did not survive the competition. “They held up just for the duration of the competition and then they gave out,” he said with a smile.
On the podium, Silvio Catanoso outperformed Kevin Bouly from Reims and Roland Chavigny from Tours. Winning a fifth consecutive title meant a lot to the athlete from Auch, who came to Narbonne for the gold, and nothing else. “The idea was definitely to keep my title,” he confirmed.
This result also boosts the confidence of the Gersois two months ahead of the European masters championships, scheduled for June 19-27 in Waregem, Belgium, where he will defend his title from last year. “I also take this opportunity to send a message internationally, especially to my main rivals,” added the athlete, who is also preparing to switch weight categories this summer. “I will go from under 79 kg to under 85 kg. I will have to fight against guys who are 10 kg heavier, but I will manage,” he said confidently. A true champion’s word.
