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The Armenian team is the best at the European Championship held in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova.
The men won 7 medals in the combined event: two gold, three silver and two bronze medals. The women, led by Artashes Nersisyan, won three silver medals.
Our weightlifters have won a total of 27 medals: 7 gold, 12 silver and 7 bronze (in the combined event + a small medal). Armenia is the leader in the total number of medals at the European Championships. Our team is also the leader in the total number of medals won in the long jump - 10 medals.
Varazdat Lalayan and Garik Karapetyan won gold medals at the European Championships.
Photo: WFA
Today, the last day of the European Weightlifting Championship concluded with the super heavyweight men's competition. Armenia was represented here by the reigning European champion Varazdat Lalayan. Varazdat first lifted 200 kg in the snatch, then 210 kg, and his third attempt, 218 kg, failed, but still, he had a significant 20 kg advantage over his nearest competitor before the clean and jerk. Lalayan won a small gold medal in this event. Lalayan also won a small gold medal in the clean and jerk with a result of 240 kg, and with a total result of 450 kg in both events, he won the champion title.
Photo: WFA
The representative of the Armenian men's team, European champion and bronze medalist, Garik Karapetyan in the 109 kg weight category won a gold medal at the European Championship held in Moldova, showing a result of 411 kg in the combined event. Karapetyan was declared the European champion for the second time in his career. Karapetyan also won gold medals in individual exercises. In the snatch, the Armenian weightlifter held a barbell weighing 185 kg above his head, and in the clean and jerk - 226 kg.
Photo: WFA
Two-time Olympic vice-champion, two-time world and European champion Simon Martirosyan also won the title of European vice-champion with a result of 406 kg. In the snatch, he held the 181 kg barbell above his head in the third set, winning the silver medal in this exercise. In the clean and jerk, Martirosyan again won a silver medal with a result of 225 kg.
Photo: WFA
Armenia's representative, 81 kg weightlifter Rafik Harutyunyan, won a silver medal at the European Championships in Moldova with a combined result of 343 kg. Harutyunyan won a small silver medal in the snatch, holding the 158 kg barbell above his head after three successful approaches. Harutyunyan only successfully completed one approach in the clean and jerk, lifting the 185 kg barbell.
Photo: WFA
In the men's 73 kg weight category, two-time European champion and world bronze medalist Gor Sahakyan took to the stage. In a new weight category for him, Sahakyan lifted 153 kg in the snatch and became the bronze medalist. In the clean and jerk, he lifted 185 kg and also became the bronze medalist in this exercise. In the combined event, with a total result of 338 kg, Gor Sahakyan became the silver medalist of the European Championship.
Photo: WFA
Men's team member Davit Hovhannisyan lifted 165 kg, 170 kg, and 173 kg in three successful attempts in the snatch at the European Championship in the 96 kg weight category. In this exercise, Davit became the bronze medalist. In the clean and jerk, Hovhannisyan lifted only 203 kg. In this form, Davit was also third. With a combined result of 376 kg, Davit Hovhannisyan is the bronze medalist of the European Championship.
On April 14, Garnik Cholakyan, who weighed 61 kg, became the bronze medalist of the European Championships in the men's competition. Cholakyan lifted only 124 kg in the snatch. In this exercise, the Armenian weightlifter won a silver medal. In the clean and jerk, he lifted 151 kg above his head. In this form, Cholakyan is 4th. With a combined result of 275 kg, Cholakyan wins his first medal at the European Championships for adults, becoming the bronze medalist.
In the 102 kg weight category, Armenia's representatives Ara Aghanyan and Petros Petrosyan were left without medals. Aghanyan took 4th place with a combined result of 380 kg (175+205), while Petros Petrosyan showed a combined result of 370 kg (165+205 kg) and took 5th place.
Mnatsakan Abrahamyan, a member of the Armenian men's weightlifting team and 89 kg weightlifter, did not have any successful approaches in the snatch and clean and jerk exercises.
Abrahamyan made his debut in the adult championships.
The head coach of the Armenian men's weightlifting team is Pashik Alaverdyan, and the team coach is Hakob Pilosyan.
Photo: WFA
In the women's 55 kg weight category, world bronze medalist and European champion, 19-year-old Alexandra Grigoryan, and European bronze medalist Isabella Yaylyan took to the stage. By the way, Alexandra Grigoryan was recognized as the best young weightlifter in Europe in 2024. Alexandra held 85 kg above her head in the snatch. Grigoryan was 6th in this exercise. In the clean and jerk, Alexandra lifted only 117 kg and won a gold medal in this exercise. With a combined result of 202 kg, Alexandra Grigoryan became the silver medalist of the European Championship. The other representative of our team in this weight category, Isabella Yaylyan, lifted 85 kg, 88 kg, and 90 kg in the snatch with three successful approaches. In this form, Yaylyan was 5th. In the clean and jerk, Isabella lifted only 103 kg. She is 8th in the clean and jerk. In the combined exercise, our weightlifter registered 193 kg and took 6th place.
Photo: WFA
European Championship bronze medalist, two-time European U23 champion, World Youth Championship gold medalist Liana Gyurjyan won the European Championship silver medal with a combined result of 246 kg. 22-year-old Gyurjyan successfully completed all three approaches in the snatch and took 4th place with a result of 106 kg. In the clean and jerk, she also successfully lifted a 140 kg barbell above her head with 3 successful approaches and won a small silver medal. The other representative of Armenia in this weight category, European vice-champion, World Cup bronze medalist Tatev Hakobyan won a small silver medal in the snatch. She successfully completed all three approaches, lifting first 102, then 106 and 110 kg bars above her head. In the combined event, she was only 4th.
Photo: WFA
On April 18, the women in the 76 kg weight category entered the competition. Anna Amroyan, a member of the Armenian women's national team, lifted 95 kg and 100 kg in the snatch. In the clean and jerk, Amroyan lifted 126 kg and 131 kg. In this exercise, Anna won a bronze medal. With a combined result of 231 kg, Amroyan is the vice-champion of the European Championship. Milena Khachatryan from the Armenian national team snatched 95 kg. In the clean and jerk, Khachatryan successively lifted 121 kg, 128 kg, and 131 kg. In this form, Milena Khachatryan became the silver medalist. With a combined result of 226 kg, Milena is 6th.
In the super heavyweight weightlifting competition, Armenian national team member Mary Tumasyan lifted 90 kg, 95 kg, and 98 kg in the snatch with three successful attempts. In the clean and jerk, Mary lifted 110 kg and 116 kg. With a combined result of 214 kg, Mary Tumasyan is 5th in the European Championship. The other representative of the team, Julieta Avanesyan, lifted 80 kg and 86 kg in the snatch. In the clean and jerk, Julieta Avanesyan withdrew from further competition due to a back injury.
On April 19, in the women's 81 kg weight category, the world and European champion Emma Poghosyan and the European champion Margarita Arakelyan took the stage. The representative of the Armenian national team Emma Poghosyan lifted 100 kg in the snatch. In the clean and jerk, Emma lifted only 130 kg. With a combined result of 230 kg, Poghosyan took 5th place in the European Championship. In the women's 81 kg weight category, our other representative, Margarita Arakelyan, held 91 kg and 95 kg above her head during the snatch. In the clean and jerk, she lifted 116 kg. With a combined result of 211 kg, Margarita Arakelyan is 10th in Europe.
The head coach of the Armenian women's national team is Artashes Nersisyan, and the second coach of the team is Taron Tovmasyan.