The 22-year-old, who came away with European silver in 2014 and bronze in 2015, won the snatch with a lift of 120kg and came second in the clean and jerk with 146kg for an overall unrivalled total of 266kg.

Moldova’s Iuri Dudoglo took silver with 261kg after finishing second in the snatch with 115kg and winning the clean and jerk on body weight with 146kg.

Rounding out the podium with 242kg was Romania’s Ilie Constantin Ciotoiu, who managed 111kg in the snatch and 131kg in the clean and jerk.

The men's 62kg competition saw Turkey's Hursit Atak triumph with 290kg, edging fellow countryman Bünyami Sezer by just 1kg.

Atak finished third in the snatch with 130kg before winning the clean and jerk with 160kg.

Sezer, meanwhile, won the snatch with 135kg but could only register the fifth-best lift of 154kg in the clean and jerk.

Russia's Feliks Khalibekov secured bronze with 285kg, having posted 131kg in the snatch and 154kg in the clean and jerk. 

In the women’s 48kg category, France’s Anaïs Michel came out on top with 180kg after finishing second in the snatch with 80kg and winning the clean and jerk with 100kg.

Romania’s Monica Csengeri, winner of the snatch with 85kg and runner-up in the clean and jerk with 94kg, came second overall with 179kg.

Compatriot Elena Ramona Andries won bronze with 164kg after managing 75kg in the snatch and 89kg in the clean and jerk.

Action in Split is due to continue tomorrow when medals will be awarded in the women’s 53kg and 58kg categories.

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Youth World Championships will also begin in Thai capital Bangkok.