Even without an official contest placing, Nasar drew attention along with his record lift.
Entering the 2022 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Weightlifting Championships (WWC), Karlos Nasar was one in all the presumed top athletes to look at. After he captured three separate Junior World Records on the 2022 European Weightlifting Championships (EWC), some expected a measure of fireworks from the 18-year-old Bulgarian dynamo. He didn’t disappoint.
On Dec. 11, 2022, Nasar successfully locked out a 220-kilogram (485-pound) clean & jerk for a Junior and Senior World Record within the 89-kilogram weight class throughout the 2022 IWF WWC. The feat of strength saw Nasar eclipse Antonino Pizzolato’s previous Senior World Record of 217 kilograms (478.4 kilos) from the 2022 EWC by three kilograms (6.6 kilos). Nasar also surpassed his own Junior record by 11 kilograms (24.2 kilos). Notably, Nasar had attempted to beat Pizzolato’s clean & jerk mark on the late-spring 2022 contest but couldn’t finish his 220-kilogram attempt at the moment.
The impressive milestones aside, Nasar was unable to officially place because he didn’t record a final total.
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Nasar didn’t log a complete because he couldn’t finish a successful snatch attempt. The athlete tried to grab 173 kilograms (381.4 kilos) twice and 174 kilograms on his last try but couldn’t follow through. Ultimately, this will likely have been a results of the athlete putting much of his energy into his World Record clean & jerk. Nasar might still appreciate that type of record output even when he couldn’t place overall on the 2022 IWF Worlds.
The athlete who took advantage of Nasar leaving the door open in his weight class was 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Keydomar Giovanni Vallenilla Sanchez. The Venezuelan athlete eventually took home the 89-kilogram gold medal with a 385-kilogram (848.8-pound) total.
Here’s an summary of the 89-kilogram podium on the 2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships:
2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships | Men’s 89-Kilogram Podium
- First place — Keydomar Vallenilla Sanchez (Venezuela): 385-kilogram total | 175-kilogram (385.8-pound) snatch | 210-kilogram (463-pound) clean & jerk
- Second place — Brayan Santiago Rodallegas Carvajal (Columbia): 381-kilogram total | 170-kilogram (370.8-pound) snatch | 211-kilogram clean & jerk
- Third place — Liu Huanhua (China): 381-kilogram total | 166-kilogram (365.9-pound) snatch | 215-kilogram (474-pound) clean & jerk
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It’s unclear what Nasar’s plans are for the immediate competitive future. Despite his miss at a complete and official placing on the 2022 IWF Worlds, it seems clear the 18-year-old is able to shine in the game of weightlifting for years to come back. The world could be this Bulgarian prodigy’s oyster, and he seems prepared to lift it over his head.
Featured image: @one_kilo_ on Instagram