Vanni Lauzana

Vanni Lauzana was an Italian weightlifter who competed throughout the 1980s and 90s. From 1982-89 he won seven Italian titles in the super-heavyweight class, and his best international results in that period were a sixth place at the Sofia World Championships in 1986, and two bronze medals at the European Community Cup. Lauzana won seven more Italian titles 1990-96, and in 1991 had the satisfaction of lifting more kilos than the Olympic champion Norberto Oberburger, who had been unbeaten by fellow Italians for many years.

Lauzana won a gold medal at the 1991 Mediterranean Games in Athens, and a bronze in the clean and jerk in 1997. After finishing fifth in the 1992 European Championships, he qualified for the Barcelona Olympics where he finished 12th. Lauzana won his 14th and last Italian title in 1995 and in lifting 400 kg. it ranked him amongst the world’s 10 best super-heavyweights. He retired from competition after the 1997 Bari Mediterranean Games.