Talakhadze was cheered by a full house of more than 1,000 at the Fordehuset venue as he lifted a European record of 212kg in the snatch, only 2kg short of the world record held by Iran’s Behdad Salimikordibiasi.

The 22-year-old, who weighs 157kg, made six good lifts.

His total of 463kg was better than silver medallist Gor Minasyan, of Armenia, by 21kg.

Bronze went to Mart Seim, of Estonia.

The Georgian is a world champion in waiting, having finished second to Russia’s Aleksei Lovchev in Houston, Texas last November, where Seim was third.

Lovchev bettered two world records on his way to victory but later tested positive.

The results have yet to be officially amended.

Talakhadze himself tested positive for stanozolol in 2013 and returned to competition last year after a two-year ban.

In the other events Latvia, like Georgia, won their first gold medal of the week, and Armenia their third.

Latvia’s winner was Arturs Plesnieks in an exciting men’s 105kg.

Silver was won by Arkadiusz Michalski, of Poland, with 19-year-old Simon Martirosyan, of Armenia, third.

Sargis Martirosjan was third in the snatch for Austria but dropped away to tenth overall, while the snatch winner, the Russian Rodion Bochkov, finished fourth on total.

Martirosjan was a refugee without the necessary paperwork to compete for nine years, and did not represent Austria until 2014, when he was 27.

The biggest celebration was by the German Jurgen Spiess, who screamed and slapped the floor despite finishing seventh.

He was close to tears after making his final lift of 213kg, which ensured he would compete at the Olympics for a third time as one of Germany’s team of four.

“That was very emotional, I have never celebrated like that before,” said Spiess, 32, who finished ninth in Beijing (94kg) and London (105kg).

“I had to make it.

"I was told that if I made 388 I would go to Rio, and if I failed I wouldn’t go.

“I had a bad hip injury after the London Olympics and had surgery in 2013.

"I became a father for the first time in January so my preparation has not been perfect.

"And it’s so easy anyway when you’re 32!"

Armenia won gold in the women’s heaviest category, +75kg, and finished top of the medals table.

Hripsime Khurshudyan finished ahead of Asnastasiia Hotfrid, of Georgia.

Mercy Brown, 19, won bronze for Britain and ensured they finished top of the table for nations who had not yet qualified for the Olympics.

The other qualifiers who, like Britain, receive one team quota place each, were Italy, France, Poland, Germany and Spain.

The seven men’s qualifiers, who also have one team quota place each, were Turkey, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Britain, Finland and Slovakia.

Jack Oliver, Britain’s top-ranked male who was favourite to take their one place, injured his elbow in the 77kg and will know on Monday how serious it is.

Team officials fear he may be unfit for the all-important British Championships in mid-June, after which the selections are made.