The Bulgarian team dominated both the men's and women's competition at the European Weightlifting Championships, which ended this weekend in La Coruna, Spain.

Highlights from the men's results included Danielyan (ARM) winning the 105 kg category with a 202.5 kg snatch and 245 kg clean and jerk. Germany's Ronny Weller had snatched 200 kg, and was injured on his second jerk (242.5 kg), which forced him to withdraw from the competition.  Denis Gottfried (UKR) easily won the 105 kg category with a 192.5 kg snatch and a 227.5 clean and jerk. 

The 94 kg category showcased a dramatic battle between Greece's two-time Olympic gold medalist Akakios Kakiashvilis (see MILO, Volume 5 - Number 3), and Poland's remarkable junior, Szymon Kolecki. 

Kolecki had a perfect day, breaking a European and/or World record on every attempt, and won with his 180 kg snatch and 225 kg clean and jerk.  Kakiashivilis posted an impressive 177.5/225.  The 85 kg category also pitted an established star, Germany's Marc Huster, against a rising star, Bulgaria's Georgi Gardev.  Gardev put extreme pressure on Huster, with a world record snatch of 180 kg (to Huster's 172.5), but after Gardev finished his clean and jerks with 205 kg, Huster took the 215 he needed for the win, and made it in dramatic style.  The 77 kg category was extremely closely contested, with four lifters totalling 360: Petar Tanev (BUL) was first, Georgi Markov (BUL) was second, Andrzej Kozlowski (POL) was third, and Kyapanaktsyan (ARM) was third. Kyapanakstyan had snatched a world record 168.5 kg.  The 69 kg category had also produced a one-two Bulgarian finish, with Galabin Boevski doing 160/192.5 and Plamen Jeliazkov doing 157.5/192.5. Boevksi's total was a world record. Sevdalin Minchev (BUL) won the 62 kg category with 140/177.5 for a 315 total.  Sabanis (GRE)} was second with 145/170, and Pechalov (CRO) was third with 142.5/170. Turkey's Halil Mutlu snatched a world record 135.5 kg in the 56 kg category and completed his runaway victory with 160 clean and jerk.