FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Georgia once again became an important stage for Albanian weightlifting, as the 2026 European Championships were held in Batumi. In this city, where seven years ago Briken Calja had stood out with his success in the snatch style, the weightlifter from Elbasan returned with a more ambitious objective, which he managed to achieve with a gold medal.
In the 79 kg category, Calja was declared European champion in the clean and jerk, while securing the silver medal in the combined event. This result adds two more trophies to a rich international career.
Born on February 19, 1990 in Elbasan, Calja continues to compete at the highest level even at the age of 36, a period when most athletes of this level have retired. He has represented Albania in three Olympic Games, where the best result remains fourth place in Tokyo 2020 with a total of 341 kilograms. Several important successes can be counted in his career, including the European title in Bucharest 2018 and the historic performance at the Tashkent 2021 World Championships, where he won gold in the snatch and two silver medals in the clean and jerk and the doubles. The success in Batumi confirms the continuity of his competitive form.
Meanwhile, another well-known name in Albanian weightlifting, Erkand Qerimaj, had a difficult competition. Born on August 10, 1988 in Shkodra and with extensive international experience, Qerimaj failed to register a result in the clean and jerk, remaining out of the final classification in the men's doubles.
Qerimaj has a rich career with medals in the European arena, including the European champion title in 2014 and the success in the breakaway at the 2022 European Championship held in Tirana. However, the competition in Batumi 2026 proved unsuccessful for him, marking one of the most difficult moments in his sporting career.
Lini një Përgjigje