Sarah Fischer (born 9 November 2000) is an Austrian weightlifter. She is a three-time medalist at the European Weightlifting Championships. She also represented Austria at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. Her brother is weightlifter David Fischer.
Career
At the 2017 Youth World Weightlifting Championships held in Bangkok, Thailand, Fischer won the silver medal in the women's +75 kg event. In that same year, at the 2017 European Junior & U23 Weightlifting Championships held in Durrës, Albania, she won the silver medal in the women's junior 90 kg event.
In 2018, Fischer won the bronze medal in the women's 90 kg event at the Junior World Weightlifting Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
In 2019, at the European Weightlifting Championships held in Batumi, Georgia, Fischer won the bronze medal in the women's 87kg event. In that same year, she also won the silver medal in the women's junior 87kg event at the 2019 European Junior & U23 Weightlifting Championships in Bucharest, Romania.
In 2020, she won the bronze medal in the women's 87kg event at the Roma 2020 World Cup in Rome, Italy. In 2021, she competed in her event at the European Weightlifting Championships held in Moscow, Russia.
Fischer represented Austria at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She finished in 10th place in the women's +87 kg event. At the 2021 European Junior & U23 Weightlifting Championships in Rovaniemi, Finland, she won the silver medal in her event.
Fischer won the bronze medal in her event at the 2022 European Weightlifting Championships held in Tirana, Albania. She won the gold medal in her event at the 2022 European Junior & U23 Weightlifting Championships held in Durrës, Albania.
In 2023, she competed in the women's +87kg event at the European Weightlifting Championships held in Yerevan, Armenia. She won the bronze medal in the Clean & Jerk. She also competed at the 2024 European Weightlifting Championships held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Achievements
Year Venue Weight Snatch (kg) Clean & Jerk (kg) Total Rank 1 2 3 Rank 1 2 3 Rank Summer Olympics 2021 Tokyo, Japan +87 kg 93 97 97 117 123 123 220 10 World Championships 2019 Pattaya, Thailand 87 kg 97 102 102 14 125 125 130 9 222 10 European Championships 2018 Bucharest, Romania 90 kg 97 100 101 122 125 127 226 2019 Batumi, Georgia 87 kg 97 102 105 4 125 129 133 231 2021 Moscow, Russia 87 kg 95 99 102 9 118 123 123 7 222 7 2022 Tirana, Albania +87 kg 97 100 102 128 131 135 230 2023 Yerevan, Armenia +87 kg 99 103 104 5 128 132 134 238 5 2024 Sofia, Bulgaria +87 kg 97 101 105 6 125 130 132 4 231 5 2025 Chișinău, Moldova 87 kg 95 95 95 — — — — — — — World Cup 2020 Rome, Italy 87 kg 98 98 98 5 123 128 128 221
References
Doping Controversy
According to multiple sources, Sarah Fischer was introduced to ephedrine and amphetamines when she was only 17, allegedly under pressure from her father and coach, Ewald Fischer, during an intensive training camp in Romania. Critics within the Austrian Weightlifting Federation (ÖGV) condemned this approach as unethical, highlighting the risks associated with relying on performance-enhancing stimulants at such a young age. Ewald Fischer's coaching tactics were further scrutinized for prioritizing rapid results over athlete well-being.
Concerns about the family's training environment deepened in 2024, when Fischer's brother, David, tested positive for trenbolone, an anabolic steroid explicitly banned under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations. This incident exacerbated tensions with the Austrian federation, ultimately contributing to a public fallout and David's decision to compete internationally for Bulgaria. Despite Sarah Fischer's achievements in the sport, her early involvement with stimulants and the broader doping allegations within her family continue to raise serious doubts about the legitimacy of her accomplishments and cast a prolonged shadow over her career.