Born in 1997, Sara Fantini is an Italian hammer thrower, boasting numerous titles, including being the first Italian woman to win the European Championship in hammer throw. We can’t, of course, overlook her participation in the Olympic finals in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Maintaining her passion for history and breaking records, Sara is achieving the highest results that every athlete aspires to in their career, day by day.
How did your passion for hammer throw begin? What attracted you to this sport?
I started athletics at around 16, a significant age for all teenagers. Before that, I tried many sports: competitive tennis for 8 years, basketball, and horseback riding. Both my parents have always been very involved in the sports world: my father competed in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 in shot put, so I’m quite literally an “artistic child.” Despite this, no one ever forced me onto the track; I was always free to pursue my path spontaneously and voluntarily, though they may have seen potential in me.
Eventually, I reached a point where I asked myself, “What’s the purpose of my life? What direction do I want to take? How do I want to define myself? What kind of person do I want to be?” Often, the answer to such questions is found through a job or an occupation… I searched for it by developing my way of finding the adult Sara. In the end, around 16, I started introspecting to understand myself, to discover what was truly important to me, to my life, and how I could express what I felt and even be helpful to others.
Sport has always been a part of my life; I was born into it and never managed to envision my future without it. I knew this would be a world where I could express myself and grow; however, I didn’t know what role I would take on, whether as a coach, athlete, or sports director. It was then that my parents, with whom I have a wonderful relationship, suggested trying athletics: it offered me different possibilities, allowing me to know my body in the most complete way.
Tennis is a beautiful sport, and I’ve always loved it (which is why I didn’t miss the Sinner-Alcaraz match, by the way), but the way I experienced it, it never allowed me to explore every aspect of myself. With so many events, athletics allowed me to try myself in jumps, running, hurdles, throws. After about a year of trials, I definitively approached hammer throwing. It’s a discipline that women have only practiced for a short time (if I’m not mistaken, since Sydney 2000); before, it was almost exclusively practiced by men and was quite niche. Yet, when I picked up the hammer, tried some techniques, participated in a few competitions, I fell in love. My discipline involves a movement that I like to describe as “elegant,” even though I’m fully aware of the stereotypes surrounding athletes in this sport: to me, hammer throwing remains highly feminine.
I can’t deny, though, that when I started, I was hesitant because I thought I’d have to go against my identity, my person, my physique to fit the body type needed to excel in this specialty. My parents helped me a lot here, introducing me to examples of beautiful and feminine women who continued their natural body path, becoming great athletes and champions.
Thanks to these models who didn’t have to alter themselves to become who they are, I became convinced and decided that I, too, could at least try.
I don’t deny that doing this at 16 wasn’t easy: I was always considered “the blonde’s friend,” and I wondered if I was willing to add a sport that, quite inevitably, brings physical changes. I answered with a firm “yes” because I realized that the more I went to the field, the more I did what I loved, the more I became aware of my body, and the better I felt health-wise. Little by little, I learned to recognize what my body tolerates and what makes me feel good. This profound self-listening has allowed me to peacefully accept the evolution of my body, to look in the mirror and see beyond appearances. It’s been a true journey of acceptance: combining my physical form and my complete self, as both an athlete and an ordinary person, I’ve come to like myself.
While initially, my body’s evolution was a concern, it actually turned into a blessing and a good omen: I could see my body not as an obstacle but as a “living” tool, energizing, helping me reach my goals, and allowing me to express myself. The athletic experience has been like blossoming at a time when I was still just a bud… I was young and didn’t know how to bloom. Now my flower has become bigger, more beautiful, and more meaningful than I expected.
What does beauty mean to you?
It’s a complex question! I have a very complicated value system, and to me, beauty is the ultimate value. I’ve always believed in the classic saying, “Beauty will save the world.” To me, beauty is not just aesthetics but everything that makes us live, that stirs our souls, attracts us, and drives us to act: we wake up and do things because we see beauty in what we’re about to do. We ourselves are part of beauty: some can hear it, some ignore it for various reasons, and some are trapped in a twisted system where the focus has shifted from what we should feel to what should “seem.” If we can understand this, we can try to reach happiness… beauty, happiness, and truth, in my eyes, can become one: they represent what we should aim for to understand ourselves, be happy, and feel part of a larger reality.
From this premise, I add that “if beauty will save the world, then we must save beauty”: with all the structures we’ve created, we’re moving away from many real, true, profound things to get closer to the mere surface. Unlike the ancients, we are now less capable of uniting with the beauty surrounding us, with which we are, in contrast, waging war.
What stereotypes or prejudices have you faced due to practicing a “strength” sport, considered “unconventional” for a girl? What were your feelings and reactions?
I faced prejudices (fortunately at a point in my life where I had already accepted my body and liked myself) mainly linked to the belief that hammer throw is a very masculine specialty: it’s a sport where you need to put on a lot of mass, which implies gaining weight and muscles, making you more defined than society’s ideal of a beautiful woman.
I rarely received direct criticism about my physical appearance, but I heard through a friend, “Poor thing, she used to be cute… too bad she’s ruined herself with the sport she chose.” What struck me most was that this comment came from another woman. I often found that criticism towards me came more frequently from other women. Unfortunately, stereotypes exist: we tend to react and judge based more on what we’ve been taught than on any objective standards of beauty. We simplify people into categories, like size 38, size 40, size 54, stripping away their true, deep value. And it’s society that pushes us to simplify even the most human aspects. Although physical beauty is important because we all want to look in the mirror and feel attractive, true beauty should be for oneself, not for someone else.
I can’t deny that there are moments of doubt when these comments resurface and bring up some insecurities. The key is to accept that these “monsters” exist, make peace with them, and have the awareness and strength to “put them back in their place,” even though that particular pain must be felt. Even today, I sometimes feel vulnerable about my appearance, and I realize it’s a common feeling. I don’t believe even the most beautiful model feels beautiful or happy all the time.
However, what helps me is a strong belief that you should never let others define you… it’s up to you to define yourself.
At this moment in history, we have the technological and human ability to spread kind words, and real change will come when this is truly understood. When we stop making criticisms aimed at demeaning and hurting others. No one is perfect, and I, too, have sometimes failed to use kind words. But the real problem lies in persisting in the mistake. Stereotypes arise when many people begin to believe something wrong is right and repeat it constantly without realizing the harm it does to others, driven by superficiality and a lack of consideration for the impact of their words and actions.
How has hammer throwing helped you build self-confidence and appreciate your inner strength?
Hammer throwing has helped me connect success with my well-being. I’m in a power sport that led me to gain about 15 kg, and I know that every winter, I gain 5 kg, just as every summer, I lose 5 kg. This is perfectly normal.
What has made me feel better are all the activities beyond training itself: osteopathy, physiotherapy, nutrition… as a person, I become healthier every year, so much so that, to this day, I’ve never had an injury (knock on wood under the interview table!). I believe this is partly because I’ve developed a deep knowledge of my body. My body continues to evolve in a way that, thanks to hammer throwing, makes me feel good: I know I perform better when I’m in shape because that’s when I feel my best.
Do you wear makeup while competing? If so, why, and what does makeup represent for you during your sports performances?
Makeup during my performances serves as a way to highlight my femininity and makes me feel better. When I like the way I look, I step onto the field feeling more serene and confident, especially now that I’m often filmed. I enjoy conveying an image of someone comfortable with herself and sending a message of femininity in my athletic gesture, even though it’s one of extreme power and strength.
I think there’s a beautiful combination between tense muscles and made-up eyes!
What message would you like to leave to those reading this interview to encourage them to overcome appearance-based stereotypes?
I believe that sports are an excellent social vehicle: here, there’s little appearance and superficiality; it’s a complete reality.
My wish is for people to engage in sports, especially as a way to understand their body and its limits, to start understanding and experiencing what makes them feel good. In doing so, it becomes easier to look in the mirror because you feel happier and more at peace with yourself. I always hope that everyone can find their path to take small steps within themselves and truly get to know themselves. Body and mind are connected, and our body is the means by which we interact with others and express our thoughts and values.
Knowing ourselves and our bodies gives us incredible power to express ourselves in this world, to communicate what we truly want to say.
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