The first medals of the 2026 EWF European Youth & U15 Championships were decided on Thursday, as the competition opened in Kosovo with five women’s categories and a busy first day in the European Youth record book.
The lightest U15 category provided the first champion of the event. Hungary’s Jazmin Regina LORANT won the Women U15 41 kg title with a 125 kg Total, made up of 55 kg in the Snatch and 70 kg in the Clean & Jerk.
Andreea LEMNARU of Romania finished second on 110 kg, while Leila KOTVITSKAIA, representing Russia, took bronze with 107 kg.
Türkiye then collected two titles at 45 kg.
Ecrin Naz SAHIN won the U15 competition with 144 kg, lifting 65 kg in the Snatch and 79 kg in the Clean & Jerk. Arina BULBAS, representing Russia, took silver with 123 kg and Bulgaria’s Beloslava KOLEVA finished third with 117 kg.
In the Youth Women 45 kg category, Asel SENEL produced one of the highlights of the opening day. Her 66 kg Snatch was a new European Youth record and helped her to the gold medal with a 142 kg Total. Darya NOVIKAVA of Belarus took silver with 130 kg, just one kilogram ahead of Moldova’s Ecaterina VILCU, who completed the podium on 129 kg.
The U15 Women 49 kg title went to Ukraine’s Olena MYKHALIUK. She lifted 67 kg in the Snatch and 87 kg in the Clean & Jerk for 154 kg overall. Poland’s Maja KRASKA was second with 148 kg, while Romania’s Giulia Ioana HRISCANU earned bronze with 140 kg.
The final competition of the day produced the most intense record battle.
Romania’s Maia Delia ANDREI and Adelina Maria LORINT went first and second respectively in the Youth Women 49 kg category, with Azerbaijan’s Nuray ABILOVA taking bronze.
ANDREI finished the evening with 73 kg in the Snatch, 91 kg in the Clean & Jerk and a winning Total of 164 kg. LORINT recorded 72 kg, 87 kg and 159 kg, while ABILOVA completed the podium with 155 kg.
The final numbers, however, tell only part of the story.
The European Youth Snatch record changed hands three times during the session. Polina PAVLIKOVA, representing Russia, first raised the mark to 71 kg. LORINT followed with 72 kg before ANDREI took it to 73 kg.
ANDREI also broke the European Youth Clean & Jerk record twice, first with 88 kg and then again with her final 91 kg lift.
The Total record moved even more quickly. ANDREI first registered 158 kg, before LORINT moved ahead with 159 kg. ANDREI answered with 161 kg and then closed the competition at 164 kg to leave with the gold medal and all three European Youth records.
Together with SENEL’s 66 kg Snatch in the 45 kg category, ten new European Youth record marks were registered during the opening day.
Championships officially opened
Competition was followed by the official Opening Ceremony of the Championships, with athletes, coaches, officials and invited guests coming together to mark the start of the eight-day event.
A total of 39 countries are represented at this year’s European Youth & U15 Championships.
The programme included the presentation of awards and certificates to honoured guests, followed by a cultural performance featuring music and traditional dances from Kosovo.
Representatives of the athletes, coaches and International Technical Officials then delivered the Olympic Oath before EWF President Dr Astrit Hasani was invited to address the audience and officially open the Championships.
“This championship is not only a stage for competition, but also a celebration of hard work, determination, and the incredible promise of Europe’s young weightlifters. Over the coming days, we will witness strength, skill, and the true values that define our sport: respect, friendship, and unity.
To our athletes: you are the future of European weightlifting. Each of you stands here as a symbol of dedication and national pride.
Whether or not you take home a medal, your courage to step onto the platform is a victory in itself and an inspiration to others.
To the coaches, officials, and families, thank you for the countless hours of effort, support, and belief you give to these athletes.”
Competition continues on Friday with the next bodyweight categories taking to the platform in Kosovo.