Hakob Mkrtchyan became the gold medalist of 81kg weight class at the European Weightlifting Championship in Batumi, Georgia.

2018 European Youth gold medalist, Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic champion Hakob Mkrtchyan registered a total of 371 kg result (164+207). He set a European record in the combined exercise. It was Armenia’s first medal in the combined exercise at the European Championship.

Armenia’s second representative in this weight class, 2017 European Youth champion and silver medalist David Hovhannisyan became a bronze medalist with a total of 360 kg (165+195). In the snatch 22-years-old Hovhannisyan won a small bronze medal lifting 165 kg. He fulfilled successfully all 6 attempts.

Let us recall, earlier in the snatch Izabella Yaylyan (59 kg) won a small silver medal and placed 5th in both exercises, Armen Grigoryan (73 kg) placed 9th and Rafik Harutyunyan (81 kg) – 8th. 2016 European champion Andranik Karapetyan (81 kg) didn’t manage to lose weight and was deprived of the right to participate in the competition.

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).