Olympian Forrester Osei shines on his birthday at IWF World championships: Advocating for athletes' transition beyond competition

Posted : 13 September 2023

For Forrester Osei, his 34th birthday was a memorable occasion filled with important responsibilities rather than festivities. He marked the day by wearing a suit and presenting a report on the IWF Athlete Commission's progress and future aspirations at the IWF Congress held at the luxurious Intercontinental Hotel in Riyadh. The central theme of the day was placing athletes at the forefront of reform policies, with more than 100 delegates in attendance.

Later in the day, Osei, representing Ghana, donned his national uniform and stepped onto the platform at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex, aiming to make this year's IWF World Championships a resounding success. He achieved this goal in style, achieving a career-best total.

Osei, who was born in London, spent ten years growing up in Ghana and currently works as a strength and conditioning coach in Qatar, faced adversity when he injured his elbow in the 96kg C Group last December and had not competed since. He ended up in a Bogotá hospital but made a triumphant return to the competition.

In the C Group, Osei recorded a remarkable total of 151-186-337 with five consecutive successful lifts before falling short on his final attempt. Reflecting on his journey, Osei stated, "It was an emotional journey from last year to here, not being able to train for such a long time and undergoing surgery to reconstruct my elbow in February. I hadn't attempted any of these numbers before coming out here, so today has been exciting and fun."

During his address at the Congress, Osei emphasized the Athlete Commission's hope that the IWF and sponsors would support athletes during and after their careers. The Transition Programme, aimed at helping lifters transition into coaching or technical roles after retiring, was unanimously approved as part of the IWF's long-term Strategic Plan.

Osei's performance and message were both positive and motivating. He said, "I wanted to use the energy I got from that to show that as well as representing the athletes in front of the executive board and the Congress, I can also play the game when I'm feeling positive and healthy. It's a positive vibe to show the athletes that in your life you can do much more, whatever the national federation leaders might tell some of them. We all have something to offer but we just need those doors to be open. I'm proud of what I did today. Anybody who watched me can see that I can be a motivator."

While it was a night of disappointment for the first Israelis ever to compete in an Olympic sport in Saudi Arabia, Osei's performance and message shone brightly, demonstrating the potential for athletes beyond their competitive careers.

Olympian Forrester Osei shines on his birthday at IWF World championships: Advocating for athletes' transition beyond competition

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