Dan Betca (third from left) and Ion Badanev (fourth from right) with medals // Photo: olympic.md
Both athletes are represented in the weight category up to 65 kg. Badanev won a small bronze medal in snatch, lifting a barbell weighing 125 kg. Betka tried to lift 127 kg in the third lift, but failed to realize the attempt. He took fourth place in this exercise with a score of 124 kg. Yelis Mustafa from Turkey won the small gold medal with 127 kg. Ion Daniel Dorobete (Romania) took the second place with 125 kg, beating Dan Betka by additional indicators.
The Moldovan weightlifters exchanged positions in the jerk: Betca was third with 154 kg and Badanev was fourth (153 kg). The winner was again Mustafa, who lifted a barbell weighing 156 kg. Konstantinos Lampridis of Greece won the small silver medal with 155 kg.
Elis Mustafa became the European champion (282 kg) after two exercises. Dan Betka and Ion Badanev totaled 278 kg, but according to additional indicators Badanev won the big silver medal, and Betka – the big bronze medal.
Earlier this year, Badanev won a small bronze medal in the shot put at the European Senior Championships held in Chisinau. He also took third place at the Under-20 World Championships, making it to the podium in the snatch. Dan Betca, who is almost two years younger than Badanev, successfully performed at the continental championship among athletes under 17. He won three medals – a large and small gold medal and a small silver medal.
The European Championship in weightlifting among athletes under 20 years old will last in Albania until November 5. More than 240 athletes from 35 countries take part in it. The Moldovan national team is represented by 11 athletes – five girls and six boys.
