Day 4 of the 2026 EWF European Championships in Batumi brought two strong sessions. In the women’s 69 kg category, Siuzanna Valodzka came through a tight battle for gold, while in the men’s 79 kg category, Gevorg Serobian did just enough to stay in front in one of the closest contests of the week so far.
The women’s 69 kg category opened with Germany’s Lisa Marie Schweizer on top in snatch with 109 kg, just ahead of Valodzka on 108 kg and Zarina Gusalova on 105 kg. Albanian youngster Enkileda Carja also had impressive day with 103 kg, a lift that set a new European Junior record in snatch, which combined with c&j of 123 gave a total of 226 which is also a new European junior record.
The clean & jerk turned the category. Valodzka was the best with 129 kg, while Spain’s Naroa Arrasate Yarnoz made 128 kg and Gusalova finished with 127 kg.
Those lifts decided the total standings, with Valodzka taking the European title on 237 kg total, Gusalova second on 232 kg, and Schweizer third on 231 kg.
If the women’s session was tight, the men’s 79 kg category was even tighter. Serobian led the way in snatch with 161 kg , ahead of Türkiye’s Kaan Kahriman on 156 kg and Romania’s Tiberiu Ionut Donose on 154 kg.
The European records in snatch have been updated several times starting with 156 kg and 158 kg by Kaan Kahriman kg and finally being set at 161 kg by Serobian as new record.
Then came a intensive clean & jerk battle. Albania’s Briken Calja won the gold in c&j lift with 187 kg, Armenia’s Martin Poghosyan followed with 186 kg, and both Archil Malakmadze of Georgia and Vadzim Likharad finished on 183 kg. Serobian made 180 kg, and that proved just enough to secure gold in total.
In the end, Serobian took gold with 341 kg total, only one kilo ahead of Calja on 340 kg. Poghosyan claimed bronze with 338 kg.
The top seven were separated by only six kilos, which says everything about the level of that category.
Photos @Hiroki Nishioka – Easy Sport