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Solfrid Koanda claimed a dramatic home victory in front of a packed crowd of 1,700 that included a very special guest – Harald V, King of Norway. There was more excitement to come on day eight of the IWF World Championships when Karlos Nasar was out of the medals in snatch but rounded off the day with a clean and jerk world record and his eighth straight win.

Koanda had kept a back injury secret and was pushed all the way in the 86kg category by Yudelina Mejia from Dominican Republic, who led until the Olympic champion’s final lift at the Fordehuset in Forde.

Solfrid Koanda (NOR)

Koanda was in tears, flat out on the floor in the back room, when her triumph was confirmed by Mejia’s failure to make her last lift. The King applauded, the crowd roared, and Koanda had her second world title on 120-152-272.

Tears flowed again after the medal ceremony, and during her TV interview. “That was my best day,” Koanda said. “It was unbelievable to see people wearing my name on their shirt, and to perform here for such a wonderful home crowd.

“Thankyou to them, thankyou to the King for coming, it was a great honour. The King told me, ‘Good job, I was very proud of you.’

Koanda with King Harald V of Norway and IWF President Mohammed Jalood in the back

“It’s difficult to describe how much work went into winning these medals. I had a back injury that I kept to myself. There were periods when I couldn’t train properly, and sometimes it was hard just to bend down and do the simple things.

“It was only in the last week that I knew I could do it. I knew I could trust my legs, I knew what I could do and today I felt good. I trusted myself and it went really well.

“I want to thank everybody who helped me, supported me. I’m going to celebrate now with friends and family, I’m going to enjoy myself.

“I’m proud of myself, of my team and I’m proud of the organisers of these Championships.”

Koanda’s average winning margin in eight victories since 2022 was 22kg. Today it was one kilogram.   

Yudelina Mejia (DOM)

Last time out Mejia lifted at her heaviest ever body weight to win the 86kg Pan American title on 123-147-270, by far her best performance. Here, Mejia led at halfway after Koanda missed her third snatch on 123kg.

When she missed her second clean and jerk on 150kg Koanda grimaced in pain. She was in trouble, needing 152kg to take the lead. She did it, to huge cheers, and Mejia failed on 153kg, to more huge cheers.

Eileen Cikamatana (AUS)

Mejia finished 122-149-271, another best total, and Eileen Cikamatana from Australia was third on 112-140-252 from two good lifts.

Two 19-year-olds were next. The snatch bronze medallist Rahma Ahmed from Egypt was fourth for the second straight year, on 115-135-250, and Wakana Nagashima from Japan was fifth with a six-from-six 108-138-246. An 18-year-old from New Zealand, Litia Nacagilevu, also made all six lifts for ninth place on 109-131-240.

Karlos Nasar (BUL)

Nasar was surprisingly out of the medals in fourth place at halfway in the 94kg contest before pulling ahead in clean and jerk. He did it in style, finishing with the clean and jerk world record of 222kg.

On 173-222-395, Nasar finished 4kg clear of the snatch winner Alireza Moeini from Iran. Moeini led Nasar by 9kg after making a snatch world record on 182kg – becoming Iran’s first world record holder since Sohrab Moradi.

Jokser Albornoz from Colombia was hugely impressive in winning three medals – one more than Nasar – from the B Group. He took snatch bronze, clean and jerk silver and bronze on total with a six-from-six 175-215-390.

Albornoz, 21, put 28kg on his best total, which he made at the Bolivarian Games just under a year ago. He has been competing only in national competitions after going up in weight.

Alireza Moeini (IRI)

“He is our star for the future. Dedicated, disciplined – what an athlete,” said William Peña, president of the Colombian Federation. Albornoz may lift again this year, at the Bolivarian Games beginning in late November.

Ali Alipour from Iran was fourth on 176-211-387. His former team-mate Kianoush Rostami, lifting for Kosovo for the first time, was fifth with 172-205-377 from two good lifts. “I will do much better next year,” said Rostami, 34, who won Olympic gold in 2016.

In two and a half years since his first senior European title as an 18-year-old, Nasar has set 23 world records – 12 senior and 11 junior. In that time he has won Olympic gold, two world titles, a World Cup, a Grand Prix and been European champion three times. All this despite a seven-month injury absence in 2023.

Jokser Albornoz (COL)

Nasar was Bulgaria’s Sportsperson of the Year last year, and this victory may help him to retain that title. Stefan Botev won the award back in 1990, when Bulgaria was a powerhouse in world weightlifting, and is now president of the national federation.

After years of decline, Nasar is helping the sport back to prominence in his home country, said Botev, who presented the medals at Fordehuset alongside Pyrros Dimas

“Karlos is one of the top personalities in Bulgaria now, not just in sport but in news and other areas of the media. It’s very good publicity for us, and we are seeing the results with more members joining our clubs. Many boys want to be a weightlifter now.” 

By Brian Oliver

Photos by Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia