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At the World Weightlifting Championships last year, Kolbi Ferguson, a 109 at the time, placed eighth.
In weightlifting, it's the podium or nothing. But a top-ten finish for Ferguson in his IWF debut, who wasn't on anybody's radar (even ours) two years ago, is two things:
- A good omen for Team USA.
- Bad news for everybody else.
"I'm blessed. I'll be in the record books," said Ferguson, 23, when we asked if he has what it takes to hang with the best in the world—but it's never that simple, is it.
His competition: Athletes like Ruslan Nurudinov, maybe the most enduring high-level male weightlifter in the world, and Liu "Gigachad" Huanhua, the Olympic Champion.
His edge: More strength than he knows what to do with, and a will-do attitude about any weight he gets his hands on.
- Remember This: Seb spent some time with Kolbi a few months ago. During a training session, Ferg asked him how much he wants to see him squat. Seb said 300. Kolbi made it look like an empty bar.
In April, he clean & jerked 227 at a USA Weightlifting training camp. That lift looked effortless as well.
We spoke with Kolbi ahead of his second World Weightlifting Championships appearance; he'll be on stage in Forde, Norway, on Oct. 10, as will the Weightlifting House team.
Here's what he had to say.
Weightlifting House x Kolbi Ferguson
We interviewed Kolbi over the phone as he dials in his preparation for Forde, where he'll make his second international appearance.
You'll find it all below. Portions of this interview have been edited for clarity.
On Starting Weightlifting
"I tried football first, but it didn't work out in my favor."
Weightlifting House (WH): How did you find weightlifting and get started with it?
Kolbi Ferguson (KF): "My high school strength and conditioning coach was into CrossFit a little bit. He was telling me about how USA Weightlifting was doing these tryouts, but I wanted to focus on football instead.
That route didn't work out in my favor, so like two years later I reached back out to him asking how to get back into weightlifting, and here we are."
On Prior Experiences
"The first time I saw someone doing the Olympic lifts, I thought he was crazy."
WH: What kind of experience with the weightlifting movements did you have prior to changing sports?
KF: "I didn't know anything about this sport. In football training, all we did was power cleans. I had never done a full clean or snatch in my life.
[Before switching sports] I do remember seeing my old S&C coach doing a snatch once, and I told myself, 'Man, this guy is crazy.'
But it's funny—now we're here, and I'm doing those crazy things."
On Learning Technique as a Competitor
"It's hard, but it isn't impossible."
WH: You started competing internationally very early into your weightlifting career. What's it like trying to develop your technique while also preparing for big meets?
KF: "Building technique is hard, but it isn't impossible. You must stay committed to seeing it through.
I'm blessed that I'm strong enough to handle these weights, I just need to learn how to lift them.
So I'm prioritizing being calm and patient instead of trying to be a brute all the time. It's all about building consistency in everything, from the way I chalk my hands, to the way I approach the bar."
On Football & Weightlifting in America
"A lot of young men out here are chasing the money."
WH: People often say that America would do better in Men's weightlifting if top talent was not being directed to sports like football. Do you believe this is true?
KF: "Yes and no. A lot of the young men out here who are chasing [sports like football], they have families to feed. I'm not saying weightlifting can't bring you money, but it comes at a slower pace.
[Athletes in commercial sports] can go to sleep broke and wake up rich the next day. I do believe there are a lot of gems in those sports, but I don't think they'd ever want to transfer over to weightlifting.
They'd look at the financial opportunities and say we're dumb, or we're crazy [for doing weightlifting]. But I'm very thankful to be in this position, to travel the world lifting weights and represent my country."
On the World Weightlifting Championships
"I'm blessed, I have the strength—but I have to catch up."
WH: You saw Nurudinov's world record in Manama in person. Do you think records are in the cards for you?
KF: "It was amazing to see, rightfully so. It was unbelievable. I do believe I'll be there in due time—like I've said, I'm blessed, I have the strength.
But these men I'm competing against are very, very talented, and they've been doing this since they were kids. I'm trying to catch up to them, to get my technique to that level.
I'll get there. The only person that's stopping me is me."
Editor's Note: Weightlifting House is conducting a series of interviews with athletes from all over the world as part of our pre-World Weightlifting Championships coverage.
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