Turkey has won three gold medals on the first day of the European Weightlifting Championships as weightlifter Hurşıt Atak, competing in the men's 62-kilogram division, took home two gold medals in the jerk and total categories, and a bronze medal in snatch. Bünyamin Sezer, also competing in the same weight class, won a gold medal in snatch and a silver medal in the total category.

Meanwhile, Italy's Mirco Scarantino claimed his first-ever continental crown after winning the men's 56-kg title at the European Weightlifting Championships. The 22-year-old, who came away with European silver in 2014 and bronze in 2015, won the snatch with a lift of 120 kg and came second in the clean and jerk with 146 kg for an overall unrivalled total of 266 kg.

Moldova's Iuri Dudoglo took silver with 261 kg after finishing second in the snatch with 115 kg and winning the clean and jerk on body weight with 146 kg. Rounding out the podium with 242 kg was Romania's Ilie Constantin Ciotoiu, who managed 111 kg in the snatch and 131 kg in the clean and jerk.

Russia's Feliks Khalibekov secured bronze with 285 kg, having posted 131 kg in the snatch and 154 kg in the clean and jerk.

In the women's 48-kg category, France's Anaïs Michel came out on top with 180 kg after finishing second in the snatch with 80 kg and winning the clean and jerk with 100 kg. Romania's Monica Csengeri, winner of the snatch with 85 kg and runner-up in the clean and jerk with 94 kg, came in second overall with 179 kg. Compatriot Elena Ramona Andries won bronze with 164 kg after managing 75 kg in the snatch and 89 kg in the clean and jerk.

Action in Split is due to tomorrow when medals will be awarded in the women's 53 kg and 58 kg categories. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Youth World Championships will also begin in Thai capital Bangkok. The European Weightlifting Championships 2017 is being organized in Split, Croatia from April 2 to April 8.