Split – Italy’s Mirco Scarantino, from Catalnisetta, is the European Weightlifting Champion for the second consecutive year with a gold medal in the Men’s 56 kg division at the European Weightlifiting Championships in Split with an unrivalled total of 266kg lifted. After the snatch, the Fiamme Oro weightlifter came in first after three successful rounds: 114kg, 117kg and 120kg. Moldova’s Iuri Dudoglo finished second in the snatch with 115kg, and the Romanian Ilie Constantin Ciotoiu came in third. The Spanish opponent, Josue Brachi Garcia leaves the competition after failing all three attempts with 118kg. Mirco Scarantino however wins a Silver medal in the clean and jerk. He came in second after Dudoglu’s 146 kg followed by Ciotoiu. The result was not enough to repeat his success in the snatch but his overall 266kg nevertheless won him the gold medal, ahead of Dudoglo with 261kg and Ciotoiu with 242kg. (9Colonne)