Elena Erighina won Silver (Total) in the Women’s 81 kg Category (2024 European Weightlifting Championships)

On day 7 of the European Championships in Sofia, it was time to witness the battle between the athletes in the 81 kg women’s category.

Even though it was a tough day for many of them, the good thing is that we still managed to see fantastic performances and a real fight for the top podium spots.

Elena Erighina from Moldova could be considered one of the surprises of the competition, especially considering she used to compete in a different weight class.

The Moldovian lifter started shakily, failing her first attempt on the Snatch, but thankfully, she reeled herself in and had two consecutive successful lifts for 99 kg and then for 103 kg, with her last one giving her the silver medal for the movement.

After that, she showed a masterclass on the C&J, having three successful attempts and ending with 131 kg for second place (just one kg below first-placed Zielinska-Stubinska). With a total of 234 kg, Elena Erighina got the silver medal overall, and she missed the gold one by just one kilogram, so it was surely one of the most memorable performances of her career.

Prior to this accomplishment, Erighina’s previous accolades were from when she competed in the 87 kg women’s weight class, where she managed to win a silver medal from the 2021 European Championships and two gold medals from the U23 European and World Championships.  

If you want to continue following the European Championships, make sure to stay up-to-date with our blog until the 20th of February, when the competition in Sofia will end. And for more exciting content, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and check out our Instagram page.