The snatch event proved successful for the Georgian national team.

20 April, 2026

The Georgian weightlifting team began the second competition day of the European Championship by winning medals. However, there was also something unfortunate that often happens in sports — an injury that cost Georgia a chance at the championship.

The 60 kg weight category started well for the host nation, where Georgia was represented by two athletes — Goderdzi Berdelidze and Ramin Shamilishvili.

Berdelidze, who won a bronze medal in the snatch and silver medals in the clean & jerk and total at last year’s competition of the same level, began competing for the championship. He started successfully, lifting 125 kg in the snatch and earning the gold medal.

Shamilishvili secured third place in the snatch by lifting 122 kg. At the 2025 European Championship, he had won bronze medals in both the clean & jerk and the total.

Unfortunately, the clean & jerk event started poorly for the Georgian team. Gold medal contender Goderdzi Berdelidze dislocated his right shoulder while attempting 146 kg on his first lift and had to withdraw from the competition.

Shamilishvili fell just short of the podium in the total. He placed sixth in the clean & jerk with 146 kg and finished fourth overall with a combined total of 268 kg.

Based on the total results, Bulgarian athlete Angel Rusev won the championship. He placed sixth in the snatch (120 kg) but first in the clean & jerk (155 kg).

Armenian representative Garnik Cholakyan won the silver medal with a total of 274 kg, finishing second in the snatch (124 kg) and third in the clean & jerk (150 kg).

Turkish athlete Yigit Erdogan moved up to claim the bronze medal in the total (269 kg), placing fourth in both the snatch (121 kg) and clean & jerk (148 kg).

Another Bulgarian athlete, Denis Danev, also won a medal, earning silver in the clean & jerk with a lift of 151 kg.