Gor Minasyan, an Armenian-born weightlifter now representing Bahrain, clinched the gold medal in the men’s +110 kg category at the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships held in Gandhinagar, India, showcasing his exceptional strength and skill.
In a thrilling competition, Minasyan achieved a total lift of 457 kg, comprising 212 kg in the snatch and 245 kg in the clean and jerk. His impressive performance not only earned him the gold medal but also placed him ahead of Iran’s Alireza Yousefi, who secured the silver with a total of 445 kg. Despite Yousefi’s record-setting clean and jerk lift of 261 kg, Minasyan’s advantage in the snatch proved decisive in his overall victory.
Minasyan’s journey in weightlifting has been remarkable. Formerly representing Armenia, he won an Olympic silver medal at the Rio 2016 Games and garnered multiple medals at World and European Championships. In 2022, he made the strategic decision to switch to Bahrain, driven by the competitive landscape in Armenia’s super heavyweight category and the limitations on international quotas.
Since joining the Bahrain team, Minasyan has emerged as one of the nation’s premier weightlifters, securing Asian Championship titles in 2022, 2023, and now 2026, solidifying his status on the international stage.