Karlos Nasar Interview – Before the 2023 WWC in Riyadh 

A 19-year-old Bulgarian world record holder continues gaining momentum for his performance and showing his almost perfect peak form by clinching gold medals in the 89-kg weight division. He’s a true phenomenon in the world of weightlifting who always strives to surpass personal best lifts and prevail over his rivals in each round.

It was a unique opportunity for us to interview a Bulgarian prodigy before the start of the World Championships in Riyadh, asking about his current physique and overall health condition after surgery procedure on his Achilles. Besides, we were eager to find out his intentions for the upcoming qualification events and his training regime during the rehabilitation period.

Recovery, Training & Goals for the Olympic Games

• Considering your previous injury, could you provide an update on your current health status? Have you fully recovered?

“I am currently in excellent condition following my rehabilitation. The surgery was performed by highly skilled professionals. I commenced training three weeks ago and will not be competing in the World Weightlifting Championships in Saudi Arabia.

I’ll only be present for the weigh-in. My first post-surgery competitions will be in the Bundesliga in Germany, scheduled for November 4th, where I’ll be competing alongside Andreev.”

• We’re here in Saudi Arabia for the World Weightlifting Championships. How are you finding the conditions and the weather?

“Yes, we know that it will be very hot here, but overall conditions here are quite favorable and comfortable. It’s very hot here for the first few days, but I’ve acclimated to the weather, so I’m comfortable with it.”

We succeeded in talking to the head coach of the Bulgarian national team and Karlos’s personal coach, we managed to get access to one of the world’s most powerful teams:

• How is Carlos’s rehabilitation going from your point of view? Are you satisfied with the progress?

“Sure, I’m happy. I talked to experts, and they said he’ll be good to start training in 2-3 months. He’s young, so things are moving along quickly and smoothly.”

• Has Carlos’s technique been affected by the injury?

“No, nothing changed. We’ve noticed some social media comments about Karlos’s technique, expressing concerns that he might focus more on strength than technique.”

• Are there plans to improve his technique?

In sports, everyone is different, just like every athlete has their own special way of doing things. The most important thing is to perform well and achieve great results, especially by lifting impressive numbers.”

Despite the leg injury, the training program didn’t change at all. Karlos’s workout day starts with a massage,  leg stretching, and then performing Snatch exercise. It seemed to us that no surgery intervention happened since Nasar trains so powerfully and persistently. 

• Are you currently training at or close to your maximum capacity, lifting your usual weights?

“Currently, I am performing at approximately 80% of my peak performance level. To provide some specific numbers, my Snatch is in the range of 160-165 kg, and my Clean & Jerk is 200 kg. Our main goal is the 2024 Olympic Games.

Karlos’s coach also added:

“Yes, I’m happy, I talked to experts and they said that he’ll be good to start training in 2-3 months. He’s young, so things are moving along quickly and smoothly.”

“In sports, everyone is different, just like every athlete has their own special way of doing things. The most important is to perform well and achieve great results, especially by lifting impressive numbers.”

Understanding that Karlos’s injury is significant, his lifting technique should be adjusted accordingly. At this training session, Karlos didn’t use split jerk, but instantly the power jerk, which is not typical for him. Although, the coach assured us that the injury didn’t affect Karlos’s technique.

• At the European event in Yerevan, you set new world records, but Li Dayin beat them a few days later. Are you planning to beat those records again, or is that not a top priority for you right now?

“Our main aim at the European Championships was to make it to the Olympics. We were all set for the heavy lifting, and now we’re looking forward to competing against the Chinese athletes at the Olympics. During the Europeans, we didn’t push ourselves to the max; we only took two attempts in the Clean & Jerk.”

Dominating at the European and World Podiums: Karlos Team’s Vision for the Olympics

Now, Karlos stands as a bright hope for the future of his country in weightlifting. He is one of the youngest weightlifting world record holders ever: 

• at 17 years old, he broke the Senior 81-kg Clean & Jerk world record (208 kg);
• at 18 years old, Karlos broke the world record again, this time in 89 kg (220 kg) to win the gold medal in Clean & Jerk;
• In 2023 at the EWC, he set 5 new World records in the 89-kg event in one day in the Junior and Senior categories.

Having set two world records at the European World Championships in Yerevan, with 221 kg in C&J and 395 kg total, Nasar has great plans for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. 

The head coach Ivan Ivanov shared with us their plans for the Olympics:

We believe that Karlos is very athletic and powerful, with his unique lifting technique that is pretty efficient and works for him greatly. The athlete confirmed that he uses special ways to lift great weights that is thanks to his genetics, strong mentality, and his own style. Carlos is ready for the great competition and any obstacle can be overcome due to his strength, confidence, and determination.

Beng the most talked-about person and true titan in the world of weightlifting, every year Karlos smashes new records, pushing his limits and what’s possible in Olympic Weightlifting.

In this year’s European Champs in Sofia, Nasar has presented perhaps his strongest performance, positioning himself as a leader for the gold medal this summer in Paris. His total of 391 kg, 11 kg more than the second-spot rival, got him the gold medal and crowned him with the 4th European title for Bulgaria in the 89 men’s category.

Conclusion

Currently holding the second position on the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) ranking leaderboard, Karlos has already confirmed his qualification slot for the Olympic Games. Looking back at his accomplishments, we can state that’s the true spirit of a champion and the will to win!  

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