Kianoush Rostami disappeared with the Kosovo flag.

Kianoush Rostami disappeared with the Kosovo flag.

Kianoush Rostami was once one of the proudest weightlifting figures in Iran and the world; The weightlifter who wrote his name in the history of this field with the Olympic gold medal in Rio and the world championships, but now in the last years of his career he is playing under the flag of another country and far from his golden days.

Rostami got on the board for Kosovo in the 95kg category at the Ningbo China 2026 World Championships, but finished ninth with a total of 371kg. He managed 170 kg in the single and 201 kg in the double and could not be among the candidates for a medal.

Rostami's professional path in recent years was not without side effects. Disagreement with the technical team, insisting on personal training and not making certain decisions of the national team, placed him many times in conflict with the association and the coaches. The fringes, together with personal decisions and changing the course of the sport, affected the process of his presence in international fields. Rostami continues to compete under the Kosovo flag, but has not yet been able to repeat the glory of his time in the Iranian national team.

The champion who once stood on the highest Olympic platform is now approaching the final days of his career at the age of 35. Maybe if he had chosen a different path and invested more of his abilities in preparation and competing against the greats of the world, he would have had a different record today.