By sportsin.biz
The 2026 European Weightlifting Championships officially opened in Batumi, Georgia, with a ceremony led by the President of the European Weightlifting Federation, Astrit Hasani. The opening event brought together senior officials from international sport, Olympic medallists, and representatives of the International Weightlifting Federation.
The competition, hosted by the Georgian National Weightlifting Federation under the leadership of Olympic champion Lasha Talakhadze, runs from 19 to 26 April in the Black Sea city. During a brief address, Talakhadze thanked all participating teams for their presence and support.
Astrit Hasani, EWF President, who took the stage following remarks by Georgia’s Minister of Sport, expressed gratitude to athletes, coaches, referees, and officials involved in the event. He also praised the Georgian federation and its president for being an “excellent organizer” of the championships. In his speech, he highlighted the importance of sport as a tool to connect people and promote peace and solidarity.
He further acknowledged the contributions of key international sport figures, including Iakovos Filippousis, Secretary General of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games, as well as other senior officials present at the ceremony.
As part of the opening proceedings, Hasani presented commemorative trophies and diplomas to selected coaches, athletes, and contributors in recognition of their service to European weightlifting. Among those attending were prominent international sport figures such as George Yerolimpos.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Pyrros Dimas was also present at the event, alongside other elite representatives of the sport.
Batumi 2026 marks an important moment for the European Weightlifting Federation, as it is the first major championship under Hasani’s presidency. His leadership is expected to focus on developing the sport further across Europe while also strengthening its presence within the Mediterranean sports movement. The total prize fund for the event has been set at 144,000 Euros.
