On April 10 at the European Weightlifting Championship ongoing in Batumi, Georgia two Armenian representatives, Andranik Karapetyan and Rafik Harutyunyan, will perform at 81 kg weight category.
2016 European champion, 2015 world and European bronze medalist Andranik Karapetyan is one of the main favorites. The 23-year-old weightlifter won world and European medals at 77 kg. After a serious injury at the Rio 2016 Olympics Karapetyan has changed his weight class and now performs in the most optimal weight class for him.
19-year-old Rafik Harutyunyan will make his debut among seniors. He is a European and world medalist among cadets and juniors.
Let us recall that Armenian representatives Izabella Yaylyan (59 kg) and Armen Grigoryan (73 kg) have ended their performances. In the snatch Yaylyan won a small silver medal and placed 5th in both exercises and Armen Grigoryan placed 9th.
The Armenia team in Batumi is represented by Lianna Gyurjyan (81 kg), Tatev Hakobyan (87 kg), Arpine Dalalyan (+87 kg), Hakob Mkrtchyan and David Hovhannisyan (89 kg), Arsen Martirosyan and Samvel Gasparyan (102 kg), world champion, Olympic silver medalist Simon Martirosyan (109 kg), Olympic silver medalist Gor Minasyan and Ruben Aleksanyan (+109 kg).