With just under a month until the commencement of the 2022 International Weightlifting Federation‘s (IWF) Junior World Championships in Heraklion, Greece, Karlos Nasar is making a statement — if you come for the king, you’d best not miss.
On Apr. 12, 2022, the 17-year-old Bulgarian athlete, who claimed his first Senior World title at the 2021 IWF World Championships, posted an unofficial World Record in the clean & jerk on his Instagram of 210 kilograms (462.9 pounds).
This monstrous lift exceeds the current Junior & Senior worldwide bests in the 81-kilogram division by two kilograms, which Nasar himself claimed last December in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It’s also not the first time Nasar has reportedly jerked 210 in training, but it does appear to be the first time he’s published the number himself on social media. Moreover, Nasar lists his best clean & jerk in his Instagram bio at 220 kilograms (484 pounds).
You can check out the footage of the lift itself below courtesy of Nasar’s Instagram, followed by some important context and what it might mean for the young Bulgarian lifter in 2022. Note that this footage may not necessarily be recent, but does speak volumes about Nasar’s potential heading into Greece.
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Despite a deceivingly slow pull which initially looked more like a weightlifter’s deadlift, Nasar flew under the barbell and rocked up to a standing position. Thanks in part to some sturdy wrist wraps, a weightlifting belt, but mainly due to his incredible leg strength, Nasar narrowly secured the bar overhead in a split jerk before roaring in triumph.
What It Means
Karlos Nasar is undoubtedly one of the most promising athletes in the sport in 2022. Prior to Tashkent, he had been quietly putting up big numbers in training and bagging several Youth and Junior-level medals at Regional competitions like the 2021 European Weightlifting Championships:
Karlos Nasar Major Competition Results
- 2019 Youth World Championships 73KG — Gold
- 2021 European Weightlifting Championships 81KG — Silver
- 2021 World Weightlifting Championships 81KG — Gold
Note: These rankings reflect Nasar’s result in the Total, which combines the athlete’s best snatch and clean & jerk together.
Notably, Nasar is registered as an 89-kilogram athlete for Junior Worlds in Greece per the IWF’s entry registry. This is likely due to the recent confirmation of the Paris 2024 Olympics weight classes — the 81-kilogram class is out, and the 89’s are in play.
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Nasar’s registered bodyweight is trending upward just as consistently as his lifts on the platform. From 73 kilograms in 2019 to 81 in 2021 and now an upcoming appearance in the 89-kilogram class, the Bulgarian teenager seems to be bulking up quickly. Whether he will weigh in closer to 81 or 89 in Greece is unclear.
On the Horizon
Despite making this tremendous lift in the gym, Nasar doesn’t yet have a claim to the throne in the 89-kilogram class. The World Standard for the category — a projected number assigned to the class during its inception in 2018 — of 216 kilograms in the clean & jerk has yet to be claimed.
This massive 210-kilogram lift by Nasar does prove that he’s got serious momentum going into the competition, but six full kilograms is a lot of ground to cover in a short period of time. It’s unclear whether Nasar’s first appearance in the 89’s will result in another Senior World Record.
Still, he’s boasting one of the highest entry totals in the class. Nasar has 360 kilograms registered for Junior Worlds, tied with Maksym Dombrovskyi of Ukraine. The two athletes are each a full 15 kilos ahead of the runner-up. That said, Nasar did total 374 kilograms in Tashkent at the end of last year. If anything, the Bulgarian isn’t afraid to start small and then go the distance in competition when the moment calls.
Featured Image: @shturi on Instagram
