Angel Rusev secured yet another European title, delivering a strong start for Bulgaria at the 2024 European Weightlifting Championships in Chișinău, Moldova. The Bulgarian had to produce a remarkable clean and jerk performance after a less-than-ideal showing in the snatch.
Rusev needed exactly 141 kg in the clean and jerk to total 246 kg and surpass Moldova’s Danu Secrieru by just one kilogram. Secrieru had lifted 110 kg in the snatch and 135 kg in the clean and jerk. Rusev strategically waited until the final attempts of his rivals before gradually increasing his own weight, which was already the highest declared (130 kg) going into the clean and jerk.
After clinching the title, Rusev attempted to lift 150 kg in a final, non-decisive attempt but was unsuccessful. He then opted to skip his last attempt and prepare for the medal ceremony.
In the same 55 kg category, Bulgaria’s Deniz Danev finished sixth overall. He lifted 107 kg in the snatch and managed 130 kg in the clean and jerk but failed in a medal-chasing attempt at 136 kg.
The bronze medal went to Ramini Shamilishvili with a 243 kg total (109 + 134), while Harun Algul, who led the snatch with 112 kg, ended up fifth with a total of 241 kg (112 + 129).
Rusev’s fifth consecutive European title is currently the longest active streak among all male weightlifters across weight categories. |BGNES
