Solfrid Koanda Wins 86kg Championship | King Harald V Present

Solfrid Koanda Crowned World Champion, Solidifies National Hero Status in Norway

A triumphant display of strength and resilience saw Norwegian weightlifter Solfrid Koanda claim the women’s 86kg world title at the 2025 IWF World Weightlifting championships in Førde, Norway, on Thursday, October 9th.

Koanda lifted a total of 272kg, captivating a home crowd of over a thousand passionate fans – and receiving the honor of performing before His Majesty Harald V, King of Norway. “It was unbelievable to see people wearing my name on their shirt, and to perform here for such a wonderful home crowd,” Koanda shared in a post-competition television interview.”Thank you to them, thank you to the King for coming, it was a great honour.”

Did you know? – Solfrid Koanda’s victory marks Norway’s first world title in women’s weightlifting in the 86kg category. The win is a significant moment for the sport’s growth within the country.

A Champion Forged Through Adversity

The victory holds particular meaning for the 26-year-old athlete, whose journey to the top has been marked by personal challenges. Koanda found solace and a second home within the gym after a childhood that included relocating from Finland to Norway and a period spent in foster care as a teenager. This background underscores the emotional weight of her achievement,demonstrating the power of sport to overcome adversity.

Her readiness for the World Championships was further complicated by a recent back injury, which hampered her training regimen. “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,” she told the IWF.”I trusted myself and it went really well.”

Pro tip: – Weightlifters often use visualization techniques to mentally rehearse lifts, especially when recovering from injury. This helps maintain confidence and refine technique.

Dramatic Comeback Secures Gold

Koanda faced a tense competition,initially trailing the Dominican Republic’s Yudelina Mejía Peguero by 2kg after the snatch portion. However,she demonstrated remarkable composure,surging ahead in the clean and jerk with a lift of 152kg,compared to Mejía’s 149kg. This decisive performance secured Koanda her second career world title, igniting celebrations among her growing fanbase.

The final podium saw Mejía claim the silver medal with a total of 271kg, while Australia’s Eileen cikamatana secured the bronze with a total of 252kg.

Reader question: – What do you think is more crucial for a weightlifter: physical strength or mental fortitude? Share your thoughts!

Nasar Claims Men’s 94kg Title

Thursday’s competition also featured the men’s 94kg weight class, where Bulgaria’s Karlos Nasar was crowned world champion. Building on his gold medal performance at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Nasar overcame a 9kg deficit following the snatch to ultimately lift a total of 395kg. He ac

Explanation of changes & How Questions are Answered:

* Why: Solfrid Koanda won the women’s 86kg world title at the 2025 IWF world Weightlifting Championships. Karlos Nasar won the men’s 94kg world title.
* Who: solfrid Koanda (Norway) and Karlos Nasar (Bulgaria) were the champions. Yudelina Mejía Peguero (Dominican Republic) and Eileen Cikamatana (Australia) took silver and bronze in the women’s event.
* What: The 2025 IWF World Weightlifting Championships took place in Førde, Norway. Koanda won