Rafik Harutyunyan finishes without medals, while Andranik Karapetyan takes bronze at the 2026 European Championships

At the 2026 European Weightlifting Championships held in Batumi (Georgia), medals were contested in the men’s 88 kg weight category. Representing the Armenian national team, Rafik Harutyunyan competed but finished outside the top three.

For Harutyunyan, this is a new weight category; previously, he competed in the now-defunct 81 kg division. The move to a heavier category has not yet brought success. It is worth recalling that last year he won bronze in the 81 kg category, and in 2022 he became European champion. In the 88 kg category, however, he has not yet managed to replicate those achievements.

The bronze medalist was Andranik Karapetyan, who has represented Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2025 after being excluded from the Armenian national team. The Olympic participant delivered a confident performance, placing second in the snatch and third in the total. Notably, Karapetyan successfully completed all three of his clean and jerk attempts — a rare display of consistency for him.

The European champion was Moldovan athlete Marin Robu. This is his first gold medal at a continental championship. Previously, he competed in the 89 kg category, where he regularly lost to Carlos Nasar, who has now moved up to the 94 kg division. Robu took advantage of the category changes and confidently won the tournament, setting a European record in the snatch.

The silver medalist was Georgian lifter Zurab Mskhaladze, who won the clean and jerk and finished second in the total.

Results (Men’s 88 kg):

1. Marin Robu (Moldova) — 373 kg (173 + 200)
2. Zurab Mskhaladze (Georgia) — 363 kg (163 + 200)
3. Andranik Karapetyan (Bosnia and Herzegovina) — 361 kg (167 + 194)

7th place: Rafik Harutyunyan (Armenia) - 355 kg (160+195)

Today, Anna Amroyan and Alina Sukiasyan will also compete for Armenia in the women’s 77 kg category.