NEW WEIGHTLIFTING RECORDS

The European Weightlifting Championships held last week in Tbilisi were noted for the triumphant return of Azerbaijan's athletes to the sport. This was the first major tournament for the country's national team, whose main members have been forced to miss competitions in the past two years because of the ban imposed by the International Weightlifting Federation for using banned substances.

The first success was achieved by London Olympic medallist Valentin Hristov, who had served a two-year disqualification. In the snatch he lifted 133 kg, and then 135 kg. Although Hristov's third attempt (142 kg) was unsuccessful, his earlier effort was enough to win a small gold medal. In the clean and jerk Hristov also left his opponents behind, lifting 160 kg at the first attempt and taking a small gold in this discipline, too.  By achieving a result of 295 kg (135+160) Hristov became European champion. The silver medallist of the championship, Dimitris Minasidis (Cyprus), was 12 kg behind the Azerbaijani, with a total of 283 kg (127+156).

Unfortunately, another Azerbaijani weightlifter, Elmar Aliyev, failed to live up to expectations. In the 56 kg category, in the snatch he could only manage 107 kg and took 9th place. In the clean and jerk Aliyev lifted 137 kg to finish fourth. In the two combined exercises he lifted 244 kg (107+137) to finish seventh out of ten competitors.

In the 58 kg category Boyanka Kostova lived up to her reputation as competition favourite. In her first attempt in the snatch she lifted 100 kg, beating her nearest rival by 7 kg. By then lifting 105 kg Boyanka established a new European under-23 record, previously claimed by the Ukrainian Yuliya Kalina (100 kg). And by lifting 109 kg in her third attempt, Kostova also beat the European senior record established by the Russian Svetlana Tsarukayeva (108 kg).

In the snatch Kostova lifted 125 kg in her first attempt, again beating the European under-23 record both in this exercise and in the sum of both (234 kg). At her first attempt she ensured a European Championship gold in this discipline and in the two exercises combined. At her second attempt she lifted 132 kg, setting up a new European record for two exercises among seniors (241 kg). And in her third attempt in the clean and jerk she lifted 137 kg. By establishing a final result in the two combined exercises of 246 kg (109+137) she became European champion. In this championship Kostova broke 8 European under-23 records and four senior records.

Valentin Hristov and Boyanka Kostova thus became double European champions. 

In the weaker sub-group B, in the -77 category Afqan Bayramov defeated his young rivals in group A and finished 7th overall with a score of 333 kg (141+192). At the same time, his effort in the clean and jerk of 192 kg brought him a small gold in this discipline. At the European Championships in 2012 Bayramov triumphed in the clean and jerk and in the two exercises combined.

For some strange reason, Ivan Stoitsov, who competed in the same category as Bayramov, did not take to the floor. A member of the Azerbaijani national team for four years, he has failed to show his potential in international competitions, always on the injured list.

Anastasia Ibrahimli, who appeared in the -69 kg category, won another European Championship medal. By lifting 103 kg in the snatch, she finished sixth in the championships, but in the clean and jerk she came third with 130 kg. This was enough to give Ibrahimli a bronze with the two exercises combined. With a total of 233 kg she was 22 kg behind European champion Dina Sazanovich and 2 kg behind the silver medallist.

Competing with six athletes at the European Championships, Azerbaijan won a total of seven gold and two bronze (including small) medals.

Two members of the national team became European champions.  This result was achieved following two years of disqualification of the team's main competitors, despite the fact that it is usually very difficult for athletes to return to major competition after being penalized in this way. So, we can expect even greater things from our weightlifters in subsequent competitions. The debut of the team's new [Polish] coach, Miroslav Coros, was all the more successful because of that.