Kiev, Ukraine – Starting things off with a bang today, Poland's Aleksandra Klejnowska returned to competition with an impressive performance in the women's 58-kg category at the European Weightlifting Championships.

Aylin Dasdelen (TUR) snatched a new continental record with 98.5 kg on her second attempt, which held up for the gold medal.

In the clean and jerk, Dasdelen made 117.5 and 122.5, before missing 125.  Klejnowska had finished with 95 kg in the snatch, and was heavier than Dasdelen, so after making 120 and 122.5 in the clean and jerk, Klejnowska waited for Dasdelen to finish, and, on her third attempt, Klejnowska called for the 127.5 required to give her the gold medals in the jerk and in the total.  Klejnowska continued her perfect steak today, made the lift and bagged the victory.

In the women's 63-kg category, Bulgaria's Gergana Kirilova swept the golds, but she won each of them on body weight: there was a three-way tie at 100-kg in the snatch, and for the last attempt of the contest, Kirilova had to match the 127.5 kg clean and jerk Dominka Misterska (POL) had just made.  Kirilova succeeded, bumping Misterska on body weight for top honors in both the jerk and the total.  Also enjoying a successful return to competition, Sevdalin Angelov won the men's 62-kg category with 137.5/165.