Fabbri retains European shot put title as Lincoln finishes fourth

Leonardo Fabbri defended his European shot put title in Birmingham with a third-round throw of 22.31m. The Italian athlete secured the gold medal, followed by teammate Zane Weir in second place with 21.12m. Wictor Pettersson of Sweden took the bronze medal with a distance of 20.97m.

British shot putter Scott Lincoln finished in fourth place, marking the second time he has achieved this specific result at a European Championship. Lincoln previously finished fourth at the 2024 championships in Rome. This result follows other fourth-place finishes for the 33-year-old in both European and world indoor finals.

Lincoln recorded his best distance of 20.81m during the second round of the competition. Despite the result, he managed to throw over the 20-metre mark in five of his six attempts. Lincoln noted that while he felt disconnected during the first three rounds, he eventually found his rhythm and pushed forward.

Fabbri's victory continues a successful 2026 season where he remained unbeaten in 10 of his 12 appearances. His season includes Diamond League wins in Rome and Eugene, where he recorded a world-leading 22.74m. He also secured the Italian title in Florence with a throw of 22.43m.

It was a successful night for the Italian camp, as Fabbri and Weir shared the podium. Fabbri previously won his European title in Rome two years ago with a throw of 22.45m. Other competitors included Andrei Rareș Toader of Romania, who finished fifth with 20.80m, and Nick Ponzio of Italy in sixth with 20.76m.