Muhammed Furkan Özbek

Muhammed Furkan Özbek, born January 24th, 2001, in Turkey, is a Turkish weightlifter competing in the 65 kg and 73 kg categories. Known for his rapid rise through youth, junior, and senior levels, Özbek has established himself as one of the brightest talents in Turkish and international weightlifting.

Özbek began his international career with immediate impact, winning gold in the 69 kg class at the 2018 European Youth Weightlifting Championships, followed by gold at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires. These achievements announced him as a young prodigy with the potential to excel on the world stage.

Continuing his rise, he earned the junior 73 kg European title in 2019 and secured gold at the 2021 Junior World Championships in Tashkent, showing that he could dominate his age group consistently. His technical skill and competitive consistency made him a natural contender as he transitioned to senior competitions.

At the senior level, Özbek claimed bronze in snatch and gold in clean&jerk and total at the 2021 European Championships (67 kg), establishing his presence among Europe’s top lifters. In 2022, after moving to the 73 kg class, he became European Champion in Tirana, lifting 149 kg in snatch, 190 kg in clean&jerk, for a total of 339 kg. That same year, he added a Mediterranean Games silver medal to his résumé, further confirming his status as a leading European lifter.

Özbek represented Turkey at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) in the 67 kg class and again at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 73 kg division, finishing fourth with a 341 kg total, narrowly missing an Olympic medal but gaining invaluable experience on sport’s biggest stage.

His career reached a pinnacle at the 2025 World Weightlifting Championships, where competing in the 65 kg class, Özbek lifted 145 kg in snatch and 179 kg in clean&jerk, achieving a 324 kg total and a new world record. With this performance, he claimed his first World Championship gold medal, marking a major milestone for both his career and Turkish weightlifting history.Muhammed Furkan Özbek’s best competition lifts include 152  kg snatch and 191  kg clean&jerk. At just 22 years old, he is a Youth Olympic gold medallist, European Champion, World Championship medallist, and now world record holder. His journey from youth competitions to global dominance exemplifies technical mastery, resilience, and dedication. Özbek is considered a leading figure in his generation and a serious contender for future Olympic medals, inspiring lifters across Turkey and the world.