Boyanka Kostova of Azerbaijan won a closely fought women's 59 kilogram title on day three of the European Weightlifting Championships ©Getty Images

Azerbaijan’s Boyanka Kostova won the women’s 59 kilogram title on the third day of competition at the European Weightlifting Championships in Moscow.

In a closely fought category, Kostova took gold with a total score of 211kg.

Kostova finished third in the snatch with a best lift of 96kg before topping the clean and jerk standings with 116kg.

Kostova’s top score in the clean and jerk saw her take gold by one kilogram from silver medallist Olga Te of Russia.

After topping the snatch standings with 95kg Te placed second in the clean and jerk with 115kg, giving her a total of 210kg, just behind Kostova’s score.

The bronze medal went to Dora Tchakounte of France, who also managed a total score of 210kg.

Tchakounte placed second in the snatch with a best lift of 95kg and third in the clean and jerk standings with a best lift of 115kg.

The other category decided today at the Palace of Gymnastics was the men’s 67kg with gold going to Muhammed Furkan Ozbek of Turkey.

Ozbek placed third in the snatch with a best lift of 145kg before topping the clean and jerk standings with 178kg, to give himself a total score of 323kg.

Two more categories were decided on the third day of competition at the European Weightlifting Championships in Moscow ©Getty Images
Two more categories were decided on the third day of competition at the European Weightlifting Championships in Moscow ©Getty Images

The silver medal went to Mirko Zanni of Italy who topped the standings after the first part of the event - the snatch - where he completed a best lift of 148kg.

He then finished fourth in the clean and jerk discipline with a best lift of 170kg, giving him a total score of 318kg.

In a fascinating battle for bronze, the final place on the podium went to Valentin Genchev of Bulgaria who struggled in the snatch finishing only seventh with a best lift of 138kg.

However he fared significantly better in the clean and jerk with a best lift of 177kg enough to give him a total score of 315kg and claim bronze by one kilogram ahead of Zulfat Garaev of Russia.

Garaev placed second in the snatch with a best lift of 147kg but had a poor clean and jerk placing only sixth with a best lift of 167kg.

This gave Garaev a total score of 314kg denying him the final podium place.

Two more categories are set to be decided on the fourth day of competition, with medals up for grabs in the women’s 64kg and men’s 73kg.