Sofia, 21 February (Hindustan Reporter). Bulgaria and Armenia won eight out of 20 categories at this year's European Weightlifting Championships, which ended here on Tuesday evening.
Host Bulgaria won in the men's 55 kg, 61 kg, 73 kg and 89 kg categories, while Armenian lifters were crowned champions in the women's 55 kg and men's 67 kg, 96 kg and 109 kg.
Romania, Ukraine and Italy won two categories each, and the other titles went to individual neutral athletes from Turkey, Poland, Azerbaijan, Norway, Britain and Belarus.
The competition began on 12 February in Sofia, one of five continental weightlifting championships to be held in February.
“The five championships are the final round of the Paris 2024 qualifying program which will conclude with the IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand from March 31 to April 11,” the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
With almost 400 entries, the European Championships in Sofia were the largest of the five so far, the IWF said.
In total, 120 athletes competing in 10 categories (five for women and five for men) will be allowed to compete at Paris 2024. The highest overall result in kilograms achieved by each athlete in the qualification events will count towards their overall ranking.