Briken Calja

Briken Calja (born 19 February 1990, Elbasan) is an Albanian weightlifter,[2] Olympian, and European Champion competing in the 69 kg category until 2018 and 73 kg starting in 2018 after the International Weightlifting Federation reorganized the categories.[3] He won the silver medal in the men's 73 kg event at the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.[4]

Briken Calja
Personal information
Born (1990-02-19) 19 February 1990
Elbasan, Albania
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight69 kg (152 lb)
Military career
Allegiance Albania
Service/branchAlbanian Armed Forces
Years of service2022–[1]
Rank Colonel
Sport
Country Albania
SportWeightlifting
Event(s)69 kg
Medal record
World Championships
Silver medal – second place2021 Tashkent-73 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place2018 Bucharest-69 kg
Silver medal – second place2019 Batumi-73 kg
Silver medal – second place2021 Moscow-73 kg

Career

Calja competed for Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where he finished 9th in his weight class after lifting a total weight of 320 kg.[5] In 2013 Calja was suspended for two years for using androsterone.[6]

He competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in 69kg division where he finished in 5th place after lifting 326 kg.[7] In 2018 Calja became European champion in the 2018 European Weightlifting Championships in Bucharest.[8]

Major results
Year Venue Weight Snatch (kg) Clean & Jerk (kg) Total Rank
1 2 3 Rank 1 2 3 Rank
Representing  Albania
Olympic Games
2012England London, England69 kg143146146817317417763206
2016Brazil Rio de Janeiro, Brazil69 kg145151151717518118453265
2020Japan Tokyo, Japan73 kg151151155718418819043414
World Championships
2006Dominican Republic Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic62 kg110115116241401451452925628
2010Turkey Antalya, Turkey69 kg135140145131671721731430711
2011France Paris, France69 kg140140145151701701721931215
2015United States Houston, United States69 kg1431431431217718318773267
2017United States Anaheim, United States69 kg142145146417518018053174
2018Turkmenistan Ashgabat, Turkmenistan73 kg148153157618118618973396
2019Thailand Pattaya, Thailand73 kg151156—3rd place, bronze medalist(s)181190190133375
2021Uzbekistan Tashkent, Uzbekistan73 kg1521541561st place, gold medalist(s)1821861902nd place, silver medalist(s)3422nd place, silver medalist(s)
European Championships
2008Italy Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy69 kg125130135101601601601429513
2009Romania Bucharest, Romania69 kg1301331379157163—1329010
2012Turkey Antalya, Turkey69 kg140145146417017517783156
2013Albania Tirana, Albania69 kg142142142—1731741773rd place, bronze medalist(s)——
2016Norway Førde, Norway69 kg1421451473rd place, bronze medalist(s)177178178———
2017Croatia Split, Croatia69 kg145145145—1701751783rd place, bronze medalist(s)——
2018Romania Bucharest, Romania69 kg1411431461st place, gold medalist(s)1711751751st place, gold medalist(s)3211st place, gold medalist(s)
2019Georgia (country) Batumi, Georgia73 kg1521561601st place, gold medalist(s)1831831882nd place, silver medalist(s)3392nd place, silver medalist(s)
2021Russia Moscow, Russia73 kg1521571573rd place, bronze medalist(s)1831841882nd place, silver medalist(s)3362nd place, silver medalist(s)

References
  1. "Triumfi historik i Luiza Gegës si pasqyrë e mexhelisit tonë social-politik" [The historic triumph of Luiza Gega as a reflection of our social-political mexelis] (in Albanian). Prime Minister's Office (Albania). 25 August 2022. Sportistët e punësuar aktualisht pranë Ministrisë së Mbrojtjes, që do të përfitojnë nga ky ligj gradën e kolonelit janë: 1. Luiza GEGA – "Kolonel", 2. Briken CALJA – "Kolonel", 3. Nora GJAKOVA – "Kolonel", 4. Distria KRASNIQI – "Kolonel"
  2. "Briken Calja Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  3. "PDF listing of 2018 Group A world championship entrants in 73 kg" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  4. Oliver, Brian (10 December 2021). "Weightlifter Calja agonisingly close to becoming Albania's first world champion in any sport". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  5. London 2012 Archived 2012-08-01 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Sanctioned Athletes / Athlete Support Personnel". International Weightlifting Federation. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  7. "Rio 2016". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  8. Oculus News (31 May 2018). "Briken Calja Europe Champion in Weightlifting with 3 gold medals". Retrieved 31 May 2018.
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