Karlos Nasar vs Antonino Pizzolato - The beef we’ve been waiting for! 🥩

June 20, 2024

Long-time rivals Karlos Nasar (BUL -89kg) and Antonino (Nino) Pizzolato (ITA -89kg) have been battling it out for years in-competition and on social media. They first locked horns at the European Championships in 2021.

As we approach the Olympic Games the two are enjoying a bit of online rivalry, all in good jest, of course.

A fun social media battle isn’t new to them. In the past Karlos Nasar and Antonino Pizzolato have enjoyed a social media rivalry along with Tian Tao (CHN -89kg). Our video of their squat battle went viral in 2022 with over 4.8 million views. Watch it here 👈

Watch our 2023 coverage of their battles here 👈

But recently Karlos Nasar and Antonino Pizzolato seem to have turned it up a notch and they are clearly enjoying it. Weightlifting rarely has the same level of inter-athlete ‘smack talk’ that other sports have, and so seeing this tongue in cheek battle is exciting, and the fans love it.

But first…

A SHORT COMPETITION HISTORY OF THE RIVALRY

Europeans ‘21 - Nino beat Karlos

Europeans ‘22 - Nino beat Karlos and set a world record clean and jerk and total. Watch the battle 👈

Worlds ‘22 - Nino out injured, Karlos sets new clean and jerk world record. Watch the session 👈

Europeans ‘23 - Nino out injured, Karlos sets a new clean and jerk and total world record. Watch the session 👈

Worlds ‘23 - Both injured

Europeans ‘24 - They do battle again after two years. Karlos beats Nino in front of a home crowd. Nino cleans an enormous 222kg. Watch the battle 👈

World Cup ‘24 - Karlos beats Nino. Watch the battle 👈

In the weeks building up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, despite it looking as though Karlos Nasar was starting to run away with the rivalry, Antonino Pizzolato made a post on instagram.

Nino initiates.
A 160kg push press and with the caption ‘I’m here 😉’
He followed it up shortly after with an enormous 230kg jerk, 7kg over the world record clean and jerk.
Karlos responded.
A 220kg clean and jerk with the caption ‘220 kg I’m here too ! 🫵 @nino_pizzolato’
Nino responded.
A 250kg back squat for a set of five with the caption ‘I’m ready bro 😎 ➡️ @karlos_nasar_’
Karlos commented
Written underneath Nino’s post was a comment from Karlos saying ‘I’m happy to see that you’re ready bro, I was little concerned about you. I haven’t patience to see you in Paris for another great battle ✊
Karlos responded moments later.
A 230kg clean and… well the video goes black with ‘to be continued’ fading on screen. Karlos’ caption? ‘MEOW’...