Francesco Lo Porto - Powerlifting
1 min
Today we tell you about Francesco Lo Porto, a powerlifting champion we work with, who shared his story with us.
"My passion began about 30 years ago: a young boy from a small town in southern Italy who, like many others, started training... Back then there were no gyms here, and we trained with whatever we could find".
A wonderful archive photo.
"Back then nobody knew about powerlifting; what we knew came from the magazines of the time (Flex, Muscle & Fitness, etc.).
Compared to other athletes I always saw potential in myself, which, combined with consistency and passion, paid off. I was the strongman of the group, even though I don't think I was ever particularly gifted genetically.
I kept training over the years, until I had to stop for military service and then for work, commitments that took me around Italy.
I was only able to start training again many years later, but my passion never changed over all those years.
My first competition was only in 2008 in Rome, and I won the overall title.
Of the many young people who start, the many who don't give up, the few who have the courage to step onto the platform and compete, and the even rarer ones who manage to get results, I made it to international competitions.
And to think I didn't even have a barbell!
This is my story. Even today, with a family and a job, I try to keep going; my love for this sport is still the same, and I'll carry on as long as I have the strength".
A great example and a great story.
Here is a summary of Francesco's achievements; listing them all would have taken too long :)
"My passion began about 30 years ago: a young boy from a small town in southern Italy who, like many others, started training... Back then there were no gyms here, and we trained with whatever we could find".
A wonderful archive photo.
"Back then nobody knew about powerlifting; what we knew came from the magazines of the time (Flex, Muscle & Fitness, etc.).
Compared to other athletes I always saw potential in myself, which, combined with consistency and passion, paid off. I was the strongman of the group, even though I don't think I was ever particularly gifted genetically.
I kept training over the years, until I had to stop for military service and then for work, commitments that took me around Italy.
I was only able to start training again many years later, but my passion never changed over all those years.
My first competition was only in 2008 in Rome, and I won the overall title.
Of the many young people who start, the many who don't give up, the few who have the courage to step onto the platform and compete, and the even rarer ones who manage to get results, I made it to international competitions.
And to think I didn't even have a barbell!
This is my story. Even today, with a family and a job, I try to keep going; my love for this sport is still the same, and I'll carry on as long as I have the strength".
A great example and a great story.
Here is a summary of Francesco's achievements; listing them all would have taken too long :)
- World Champion WPA 2015 - WPF 2016 - GPC 2017 - WPA 2019 - WDFPF 2022 - IPL 2022
- Multiple European Champion WDFPF - WPA - GPC - WPU/IPL - WPF/EPC 2017 - IPL 2023
- World Runner-up WDFPF USA 2011 - IPL 2019
- WRPF Champion Moscow 2017
- Italian Champion WPC 2016 - 100% Raw 2021 - FIPL/IPF 2024