Leonard Toska
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Albanian |
| Born | 26 October 1961 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Weightlifting |
| Team | Shtermeni Weightlifting Team |
Leonard Toska (born 26 October 1961, Shtërmen, Albania) is an Albanian weightlifting coach and former competitor, best known for developing one of Albania's most successful youth and national weightlifting programs. Over a coaching career spanning more than three decades, his athletes have won hundreds of national and international medals.
Early life
Leonard Toska was born on 26 October 1961 in the Albanian village of Shtërmen in the Municipality of Cërrik. He began involvement in weightlifting in the 1970s as an athlete with the weightlifting club in Elbasan. After competing at a modest level, he transitioned to coaching and sport development.[1]
Coaching career
In 1995, Toska founded the weightlifting team in his home village of Shtërmen, which grew over time into one of Albania's most prolific training centers for youth and national-level competitors. Under his guidance, athletes from Shtërmen reportedly won more than 750 national medals in domestic competitions and 87 international medals in European, Balkan, Mediterranean, and world events.[2]
Notable athletes and achievements
One of Toska's notable coached athletes is Ertjan Kofsha, a weightlifter from Shtërmen who has achieved success in European youth competition, including winning multiple gold medals in the U-20 category at the European Youth Championships.[3]
In March 2022, Leonard Toska was awarded the title “Citizen of Honor” (Qytetar Nderi) by the Municipality of Cërrik. The title was granted in recognition of his long-standing contribution to Albanian sport, his role in achieving international competitive success, and his inspiration to a new generation of weightlifters [4]
Personal life
Recently he been balancing sports with olive cultivation and beekeeping.
References
- ^ "Një jetë me sportin, Leonard Toska, trajneri që i solli Shqipërisë 87 medalje ndërkombëtare" [A life with sports, Leonard Toska, the coach who brought Albania 87 international medals] (PDF) (in Albanian). p. 20.
- ^ "Peshëngritësi Leonard Toska shpallet "Qytetar Nderi" nga Bashkia e Cërrikut – Abc News". Archived from the original on 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ^ "Një jetë me sportin, Leonard Toska, trajneri që i solli Shqipërisë 87 medalje ndërkombëtare - Sot News | Lajme". sot.com.al. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ^ "Një ditë në fshatin e shtangistëve! Leonard Toska: Numërojmë 83 medalje, kohën e lirë merrem me ullinjtë dhe bletari - Shqiptarja.com". shqiptarja.com. Retrieved 2026-03-01.