You're reading an online edition of the Weightlifting House newsletter. Want stories like these delivered directly to you every Friday? Subscribe here.
When the new weight classes were minted earlier this summer, Sebastian Olivares was among the first to strike at the open record books.
- At the Pan-Am Champs, Sebastian set the second inaugural world record (after Hampton Morris) of the sport’s newest batch of categories when he clean & jerked 191KG at 71KG.
Heading into Worlds ‘25, we expected Sebastian to be a real problem for the likes of Yusuf Genc (TUR), Ri Won Ju (PRK), or gold medalist Weeraphon Wichuma (THA).
Instead, on his snatch opener at 149KG, Sebastian blew out his left elbow in one of the most grievous on-platform injuries we’ve seen in recent years.
If you saw it live on WLHOUSE TV, it’s probably burned into your mind. As for Sebastian himself, he’s already moved on.
- “I didn’t want to wallow in self-pity about something beyond my control,” he said, when we asked him about his mindset in the weeks since his accident.
In the weeks since Sebastian fled Førde (he began traveling home for medical attention right after the 71KG event), he’s licked his wounds, undergone surgery, and started rehab.
The IWF calendar is laden with opportunities for a comeback meet in 2026. He’s already put the 2026 World Cup in his crosshairs. Here's our conversation with Colombia's Sebastian Olivares.
Weightlifting House x Sebastian Olivares
Below is our interview with Team Colombia's Sebastian Olivares, conducted for the Weightlifting House newsletter. Portions of this interview have been lightly edited for clarity.
Weightlifting House (WH): How have you been since you injured your elbow at Worlds?
Sebastian Olivares (SO): "Since my injury, I've honestly handled the situation quite well and haven't let myself be consumed by thoughts about the cause of the accident. Rather, I've been focused on my recovery and, more importantly, that the injury wasn't anything too serious. I've received very good news about my progress."
WH: Do you remember what was going through your mind immediately after it happened?
SO: "The truth is, I was just thinking, 'Why did this happen to me?' I felt fine that day, and felt fine during the warm-ups, too. I remember being disappointed, but then I resigned myself a bit and accepted it. I didn't want to wallow in self-pity over something beyond my control."
WH: What is the status of the injury now?
SO: "I've already had a surgical procedure that went very well, thank God. It's been about a month, and I've already started working with my physiotherapist. They told me rehabilitation would take approximately four months, so you'll most likely see me lifting heavy again next year."
WH: What's your plan for getting back to competition?
SO: "We haven't drawn up a formal plan yet, but we've talked a lot about how we're going to move forward in this process. My coaches and I are prioritizing a good recovery so I can come back stronger, even if it takes a little longer. But my plan right now is to go to the World Cup next year, if everything works out with my rehab."
WH: What does your rehab look like at this stage of recovery?
SO: "Right now, I'm doing some intermediate exercises under the supervision of the physiotherapy staff at our high-performance center. I'm also doing a lot of mobility work to recover the extension ability of the joint."
WH: Did you feel like you had a good chance of getting onto the 71KG podium at Worlds?
SO: "Well, I feel like many people know how hard I'd been working in training, and that I was completely ready to give my best. I wanted my efforts to reflect that I could be on the world podium after many years of dedication to weightlifting."
