Karlos Nasar won Gold in the Men’s 89 kg Category (2024 IWF European Championships)

For host nation Bulgaria, day 6 of the European Championships was the most anticipated one, as it was the day when the new wunderkind of the weightlifting world, Karlos Nasar, was set to compete in the men’s 89 kg category.

And we can only say that the show was worth the wait. 

The Bulgarian started off the competition great, lifting 168 kg on his first Snatch attempt, then getting 173 kg on the second one, only to end by setting a new Junior World Record of 176 kg on his last attempt, which also gave him the gold medal for the movement.

After the strong start, he continued performing well, lifting 208 kg on his first Clean & Jerk attempt and then 215 kg on his second one – Nasar refused to attempt his final try after he saw that Pizzolato was unable to get 222 kg; however, his total of 391 kg (11 kg more than second-placed Pizzolato) was more than enough to give him the overall gold medal and crown him the new European Champion at the 89 men’s category. 

In his still young career, Karlos Nasar has already won multiple titles, including last year’s European Championships and the IWF Grand Prix in Doha, where he set a new World Record for the Clean & Jerk. The expectations for him to perform at the highest level during the upcoming Olympic games are very much relevant, seeing that he has been in great form after returning from injury last year. 

Our full coverage of the European Championships in Sofia can be found on our blog, so if you’ve missed out on important news and you want to catch up – that’s the perfect place to go. And if you want more visual and behind-the-scenes content, make sure to check out our social media channels and our YouTube channel as well.