In 2001 he finished sixth at the 2001 World Indoor Championships and won the gold medal at the 2001 Mediterranean Games. The winning result of 17.05 metres was his season's best. It was almost a championship record as well, but Marios Hadjiandreou's 17.13 metres from 1991 was slightly better. In 2002 he reached 17 metres for the first time indoor, with 17.03 metres in Genoa in February. He finished fourth at both the 2002 European Indoor Championships and the 2002 European Championships in the summer. In the latter competition he jumped 17.15 metres, and his season's best was 17.17.