Rafik Harutyunyan came 8th at 81 kg of the European Weightlifting Championship ongoing in Batumi, Georgia.

The 19-year-old weightlifter in Group A registered a total of 344 kg (150+194) result. In the snatch Harutyunyan was 4th with 194 kg and set a European youth record (U20). In the same weight class Armenia had to be represented by 2016 European champion, 2015 world and European bronze medalist Andranik Karapetyan who didn’t manage to lose weight and was deprived of the right to participate in the competition.

Italian Antonio Pizzolato became European champion with a total of 356 kg (155+201).

Rafik Harutyunyan made 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).