Who Was Weightlifting Coach Chris Ciancio And How Did He Die?

YOU may be wondering who weightlifting coach Chris Ciancio is and how he tragically died.

Here’s everything you need to know about the man who has been dubbed an ‘amazing human being’ after helping another athlete ‘realize his dream’.

1

Who was Chris Ciancio?

Chris Ciancio was a prominent Australian weightlifter and ran a popular gym in Braybrook until it closed during the pandemic.

The 39-year-old from Melbourne has been an important part of the weightlifting community, working as a weightlifting coach and massage therapist.

The strength coach died tragically while on vacation in Italy.

How did Chris Ciancio die?

Ciancio died in Italy in the early hours of Saturday morning and efforts are now being made to bring his body home.

The circumstances of Ciancio’s death are not yet known.

When personal trainer Benjamin Templeton described Ciancio as a loving father and a passionate man who had impacted the lives of hundreds of athletes, tributes poured in after news of his sudden death.

“Chris has impacted the lives of hundreds of athletes throughout his career as a weightlifter and coach,” Templeton wrote.

“Those who knew him knew at least three things about him: First, he was as authentic and honest as a man could be.”

He added that over the years the weightlifting coach has helped many in the Westbourne community in ways “big and small” and has started his own business GoFundMe Page to raise money for his devastated family so they can bring Ciancio’s body home.

“We are committed to honoring him and standing up for the protection, care and support of his family and ask for the broader community to help in any way that we can,” Templeton wrote.

The GoFundMe page has received 118 donations totaling $12,375 at the time of writing.

Adelaide strongman Jordan “Biggie” Steffens, known for towing an 18-wheel tow truck, plane and train, also paid a heartfelt tribute to the weightlifter on Monday.

Steffens thanked Ciancio for helping him “realize his dream” and win gold at Klokov Power Weekend 2016 in Russia.

“As a child and as an adult, Russian weightlifting was the pinnacle of our sport featuring the biggest and best lifters in the world,” he wrote.

“Thanks to Chris, I was able to become a champion in Russia and retire exactly where I wanted.”

“This is just a story I wanted to tell about this amazing human being who gave me the opportunity to achieve my dream and gave me the perfect ending to my career.”

Was Chris Ciancio married and did he have children?

Chris Ciancio is reportedly survived by his wife Margaret and their daughters – four-year-old Ginevra and two-year-old Fiorenza.