Lifters from Cyprus, England, Luxembourg, Monaco, San Marino, Scotland, Sicily, Switzerland, Wales and Malta recently took part in two international tournaments at the Cottonera Sports Complex.

In the main event, Malta fielded three teams, including one in the women’s championship where the promising Nicole Gatt produced another impressive performance, upstaging some more-quoted lifters to emerge as the best youth in the competition.

The Malta A selection, made up of Rodmar Pulis, Jovan Reljic, Matthew Muscat Inglott and Charles Degiorgio, endured a somewhat shaky start.

Degiorgio failed to secure a total after some difficulties in the Clean and Jerk. Next up was Reljic who also missed out on his first two attempts in the Snatch.

That left the team with only one attempt to attain a total and avoid disqualification. But Reljic regrouped and lifted the bar overhead for a ‘good lift’.

Following the Clean and Jerk, Reljic finished with 200kg and the best points total by virtue of a lighter body weight, having dropped a weight class for this event.

Muscat Inglott did well to achieve a ‘six-out-of-six’ after completing all his three Snatch attempts and the other three lifts in Clean and Jerks. He totalled 269kg.

It was now up to Pulis to secure a medal for the team. Opening with a 95kg Snatch attempt, he missed but powered the weight overhead in supreme fashion in his next lift.

Pulis delivered when it counted most – in Clean and Jerk. He had a succession of three successful attempts, including 120kg, 124kg and 131kg, of which the third attempt surpassed the national record.

The selection managed a total of 807 points, placing second behind Cyprus, who achieved a combined 894. Monaco were third on 797.

The second competition at the Cotto-nera Sports Complex last week was the Charles Mifsud Malta Open, with Gatt joining Reljic, Muscat Inglott and Pulis in the team.

Scotland fielded Olympian Peter Kirkbride and the other contenders were Monaco, Switzerland, Cyprus, Wales, London and Sicily.

Kirkbride produced a stellar performance which included a 135kg Snatch and 180kg Clean and Jerk. His contribution helped Scotland win a gold medal with a combined points total of 1,230 points.

Cyprus (1,017) were second and the bronze medal went to Switzerland with 992 points. Malta trailed in fourth with 975 points, beating the Welsh side in the final standings.

Eleiko Sport were the main sponsors of the competitions which were overseen by Malta Weightlifting Association president Jesmond Caruana.