Varazdat Lalayan Becomes Two-Time European Weightlifting Champion

Armenian weightlifter Varazdat Lalayan has claimed his second European Championship title, reaffirming his dominance in the +109 kg weight class at the 2024 European Weightlifting Championships held in the Moldovan capital.

A silver medalist at the Paris Olympic Games and reigning world and European champion, Lalayan outclassed his rivals in the men’s super heavyweight division by lifting a total of 450 kg in the combined events — 210 kg in the snatch and 240 kg in the clean and jerk.

With this commanding performance, Lalayan secured all three gold medals available in his category — in the snatch, clean and jerk, and total — proving he remains a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.

In the snatch event, Lalayan successfully lifted 200 kg on his first attempt. His coach, Pashik Alaverdyan, then called for 210 kg, which Lalayan also lifted with ease. However, his final attempt at 218 kg was unsuccessful. Even so, Lalayan led his closest competitors by an impressive 20 kg going into the clean and jerk.

In the clean and jerk, Lalayan opened strong with a successful 240 kg lift. He attempted 250 kg on his second try but was unable to complete the lift, opting out of a third attempt.

The silver medal in the total went to Estonian Mart Seim, who lifted 415 kg (180 kg snatch + 235 kg clean and jerk), while Ukrainian Bogdan Gozan claimed bronze with a total of 406 kg (190 kg + 216 kg).

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