The new champion of the European Weightlifting Championships, Andranik Karapetyan, dedicates his victory to the Armenian soldiers who have fallen at the border and is already thinking of the Rio Olympic Games.

-Andranik, what has changed for you after the European Championships?

-Actually, nothing has changed. I am the same Andranik only the happiest man on earth. I am happy I could lift more kilograms than at the World Championship. 

-Will you be able to compete for Olympic medals with the lifted kilos?

-I’m not striving for medals, my main goal is reaching first place. In sport everything is possible.  Now the main emphasis is put on the Olympics. After the European Championships we are going to prepare for the Olympics.

-Which was the main task that you had got for the snatch and clean& jerk?

-My task was to work in every approach. It was also important to lift higher kilos both in the snatch and clean & jerk which I hadn’t managed at the World Championship.

P.S. This victory I dedicate to the soldiers fallen at the border of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.  In a way we continue their work. We are a strong nation. We were feeling a deep pain that because of the trainings we weren’t able to be alongside our soldiers. I hope this victory will encourage them.

Norway, Forde

ANOC press service