Briken Calja has given another excellent performance for Albania at the Mediterranean Games "Taranto 2026", winning the gold medal in the snatch style and setting a record at the same time. The Albanian weightlifter competed in the category up to 75 kilograms and started the competition with a successful attempt of 147 kilograms.
In the second attempt, Calja lifted 152 kilograms, while in the third attempt he managed to lift 154 kilograms. All three attempts were successfully completed, securing the red-and-black weightlifter the gold medal in the clean and jerk style and a new Mediterranean Games record.
The 154 kilograms lifted by Calja constitute another important moment in his career, while the success in Taranto adds another international medal to his collection.
A career built with medals and records
Briken Calja is one of the most important names in Albanian weightlifting in recent years. Born in 1990, he has represented Albania at the highest levels of this sport and has participated in three editions of the Olympic Games: London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. In Tokyo, Calja was very close to the podium, finishing the race in fourth place.
One of the highlights of his career came in 2018, when he was declared European Champion at the European Championships held in Bucharest. Calja won gold medals in both disciplines and in the doubles, securing an extraordinary triumph for Albania.
A year later, at the European Championships in Batumi, he continued to be the protagonist in the up to 73 kilogram category, while at the 2019 World Championships in Pattaya he also achieved an important result, ranking among the best in the world.
2021, the big year of Calja
2021 remains one of the most successful years in the Albanian weightlifter's career. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, held in 2021, Calja placed fourth in the up to 73 kilogram category. He lifted 341 kilograms in the snatch and missed out on the bronze medal by just one kilogram.
A few months later, at the World Championships in Tashkent, Calja achieved one of the greatest results of his career. He won the silver medal in the clean and jerk with 342 kilograms, and was also declared world champion in the clean and jerk with 156 kilograms. This result placed Calja among the most successful Albanian athletes in the history of the World Weightlifting Championships.
An athlete who has not stopped
Calja's career has been characterized by consistency and the ability to return to the highest levels of competition even after difficult periods. At the 2021 European Championships in Moscow, he won the bronze medal in the 2-man event, while securing the silver medal in the clean and jerk.
In 2026, Calja continued to dominate the European weightlifting scene, adding more medals to his collection. At that year's European Championships, he won a gold medal in the clean and jerk and a silver medal in the doubles.
Now, the triumph in Taranto gives another dimension to his career. At a stage of his career when experience is one of his main weapons, Calja continues to compete at high levels and bring Albania medals in important international events.
Albania adds gold medal in Taranto
Briken Calja's success is another important news for the Albanian delegation at the Mediterranean Games "Taranto 2026". Before Calja's gold medal, Albania had secured three medals at this event, all in the sport of wrestling: a gold medal with Islam Dudayev, a silver medal with Zelimkhan Abakarov and a bronze medal with Ardit Zeneli.
With 154 kilograms lifted in the snatch, Calja not only gave Albania another gold medal, but also set a new Mediterranean Games record. And for an athlete with a long career, filled with European, world and Olympic medals, this is another golden chapter in Briken Calja's history.
