Kiev, Ukraine – With Turkey's Halil Mutlu said to be enjoying an extended honeymoon and concentrating on the Athens Olympics, his countryman Sedat Artuc fought down to the last clean and jerk to win the title in the 56-kg category at the European Weightlifting Championships today.

The weights weren't at world record level, but the battle was great, as Vitali Dzerbianiou (BLR) outsnatched Artuc, 127.5 kg to 125 kg. 

Both opened with 145 kg in the clean and jerk for good lifts.  Dzerbianiou missed 150 on his second, and Artuc jumped to 152.5 for a good second attempt, which put him in first place in the jerk and the total. Dzerbianiou answered with a good attempt at the same weight on his third attempt, to go into the lead, but Artuc had one attempt left.  Being the lighter man, he called for 155, which he made, to win on body weight.

In between the snatch and the clean and jerk, about a dozen Ukranian performers entertained the crowd with a dazzling show of kettlebell juggling – tossing and catching the kettlebells high in the air and between each other with apparent ease and great skill.

Earlier today, Izabela Dragneva (BUL) did 82.5/97.5 to take top honors in the women's 48-kg class, and Nurcan Taylan (TUR) won the women's 53-kg category with new continental records in the snatch (95.5 kg) and in the clean and jerk (115.5 kg).