Bulgaria won it's second gold medal of day five of the 2003 European Weightlifting Championships, when Milen Dobrev lifted a total of 405.0 kg. (182.5 kg. in the snatch and 222.5 kg. in the clean & jerk) to clinch the continental title of the men's 94 kg. category, in the spa resort, 80 kilometres west of Athens.

Sergey Zhukov of Russia was second with a total of 397.5 kg. (180.0 kg. plus 217.5 kg.) and Tadeusz Drzazga of Poland was third with identical scores. Greece's Olympic gold medalist and European Championships hopeful for a second Greek gold in the total, Kakhi Kakhiasvilis, withdrew from the competition following the snatch (where he was fifth with 177.5 kg.), despite the support of over 2,500 that had crammed into Loutraki's Sports Hall to cheer him on.

Milen Dobrev was born in Plovdiv on 22 February 1980 and is coached by Plamen Milev. This was his first gold medal in a major seniors' competition. Previously, he was second in both the 2002 World and European Championships.

Earlier Bulgaria's Zlatan Vanev came back from fifth place in the snatch, to lift 215kg in the clean & jerk and clinch European title in men's 85 kg., after failing at world record attempt. Zlatan dedicated the title to his little three-year-old son.

A day earlier Georgi Markov won gold in men's 77 kg. This is his second European title for the second year in a row.

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