Dadash Dadashbayli won Gold in the Men’s 109 kg Category (2024 IWF European Championships)

Day 8 of the European Championships in Sofia meant it was time for the men’s heavyweight categories.

As always, the athletes competing in the 109 kg category didn’t disappoint, as we witnessed a fantastic battle for the top spots on the podium, as well as qualification for the Olympic Games this summer.

If there’s one person that didn’t leave anyone wondering who the winner would be, then that’s Dadash Dadashbayli from Azerbaijan, who has been in fantastic form since last year and once again showed it during the competition in Sofia.

The Azerbaijani lifter started great, getting 176 kg on the Snatch, which was enough to give him the gold medal for the movement.

His fantastic performance continued on the Clean & jerk, where he got 212 kg on his second attempt – 5 kg more than anyone else competing, which resulted in him winning his second and third gold medals for the day; one for the C&J and one for the overall ranking. 

Prior to this competition, at the end of last year, Dadashbayli won the IWF Grand Prix II in Doha for the 109 kg category, and his fantastic form continues this season.

In 2023, he also won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Riyadh, and so the expectation is for him to deliver a memorable performance during the Olympic Games in Paris later this year. 

Our full coverage of the European Championships in Sofia can be found on our blog, so if you’ve missed out on important news and you want to catch up – that’s the perfect place to go. And if you want more visual and behind-the-scenes content, make sure to check out our social media channels and our YouTube channel as well.