REPEAT SUCCESS FOR VALENTIN HRISTOV

The Azerbaijani weight-lifting team gave an impressive performance at the European Championships in Albania. Valentin Khristov, who has an Olympic medal - incidentally, the only Azerbaijani weight-lifter to win one so far - reaffirmed his high class. Intiqam Zahirov also pleased us with a gold. Another of our weightlifters - Sardar Hasanov - gave a personal best performance. And Zulfuqar Suleymanov marked his return to the platform after a three-year absence with a bronze medal.

But one thing at a time. For the European Championships in Albania the Azerbaijani coaches decided to put up two athletes in the 62kg weight category. The competition showed that this was the right move because both of them won medals. Reigning European champion Valentin Khristov, who won "gold" in the 56kg category at the European Championships in Turkey, went to Tirana to defend his title in the heavier 62kg category. Having said that, it should not be forgotten that Khristov is the owner of what is so far Azerbaijan's only Olympic medal for weight-lifting which he got for third place at the 2012 London Olympics. In Tirana he beat his rivals over all components and become a twice European champion. In the jerk, Khristov lifted 133kg and then 137kg. After three attempts he failed to raise 140kg but this was enough to win first place and a small "gold".

In the clean and jerk the Azerbaijani first lifted 170kg, then 175kg and declined a third attempt because he was guaranteed a small "gold" in this category, and the title of European champion having lifted 312kg in the two disciplines.

Valentin Khristov broke eight records simultaneously. Having lifted 170kg in the clean and jerk he beat the records for youths and athletes up to 23 years of age. Khristov also beat records in the jerk and clean and jerk among youths and athletes up to 23 years of age. By lifting 175kg at the second attempt Khristov again set up new records. 

Another gold in Tirana was won by Intiqam Zahirov who performed in the weight class of up to 94 kg. The holder of the World Cup 2009 silver medal went one step higher in the current championship. In the snatch, Zahirov first took 173 kg and then successfully 177 and 180 kg, winning the small "gold".

In the clean and jerk, he also managed to successfully complete all three attempts (210, 215 and 216 kg), winning another small gold medal. In the end, Zahirov took 396 kg (180+216) in the double-event and became a European champion.

In the last three years the experienced Zulfuqar Suleymanov has failed to make the platform because of disqualification. Before that, in 2009, Suleymanov won a "bronze" in the European championships and a "silver" in 2010. Having also taken part in the 62kgcategory, he lifted 127kg in the jerk and then 130kg. Unfortunately, he could not manage 132kg and finished fourth in this discipline. In the clean and jerk Suleymanov lifted 160kg at the second attempt and thus was guaranteed a bronze medal, raising a total of 290kg.

Sardar Hasanov continued the successful performances by our weightlifters. Earlier, he had taken part a number of times in European and world championships, as well as Olympics, but had not won any medals. This time, in the 69kg category, he lifted a total of 326kg (150kg in the clean and jerk and 176kg in the jerk) and won a silver European Championship medal.

Silvia Angelova also provided the Azerbaijani team with a European Championship medal. Winner of a bronze medal in the European Championships in 2012 in Turkey, she went one better this time. In the jerk Angelova lifted 75kg and then 80kg. At the third attempt she managed 82 kg. In the clean and jerk Angelova lifted 95kg at the first attempt, guaranteeing at least a bronze medal. Having managed 99kg at the second attempt she was hoping for a small "gold" in the jerk and a "silver" overall. Unfortunately, she failed to lift 101kg at the final attempt. But a result of 179kg (80kg in the clean and jerk and 99kg in the jerk) was enough to win silver.

Alena Kiriyenko just missed out on a medal. By achieving a score of 216 kg (93+123) she finished fourth. But her performance can be regarded as a success because at the previous championship she only finished ninth. On the whole, the Azerbaijani team won two gold, two silver and one bronze medal at the European Championship and took second place in team performances, losing only to Russia. This is a very high result because the Azerbaijani national team was represented by six athletes of whom five won medals, while Russia was represented by 14 weightlifters.