The 1981 European Weightlifting Championships were held in Lille, France, from September 13 to September 20, 1981. This was the 60th edition of the event. There were 149 men in action from 25 nations. This tournament was a part of 1981 World Weightlifting Championships.

Medal summary 52 kgSnatch 110.0 kg 110.0 kg 105.0 kgClean & Jerk 137.5 kg 130.0 kg 130.0 kgTotalKanybek Osmonaliyev|URS}} 247.5 kgJacek Gutowski|POL}} 240.0 kgBela Olah|HUN}} 235.0 kg56 kgSnatch 120.0 kg 117.5 kg 117.5 kgClean & Jerk 155.0 kg 152.5 kg 147.5 kgTotalAnton Kodzhabashev|BUL|1971}} 272.5 kgAndreas Letz|GDR}} 272.5 kgNikolay Zakharov|URS}} 265.0 kg60 kgSnatch 132.5 kg 130.0 kg 127.5 kgClean & Jerk 170.0 kgWR 165.0 kg 157.5 kgTotalBeloslav Manolov|BUL|1971}} 302.5 kgWRYurik Sarkisyan|URS}} 295.0 kgAndreas Behm|GDR}} 282.5 kg67.5 kgSnatch 150.0 kg 150.0 kg 147.5 kgClean & Jerk 190.0 kg 182.5 kg 175.0 kgTotalJoachim Kunz|GDR}} 340.0 kgMincho Pashov|BUL|1971}} 330.0 kgDaniel Senet|FRA}} 320.0 kg75 kgSnatch 157.5 kg 155.0 kg 150.0 kgClean & Jerk 202.5 kg 202.5 kg 190.0 kgTotalYanko Rusev|BUL|1971}} 360.0 kgWRAleksandr Pervy|URS}} 357.5 kgJürgen Negwer|FRG}} 340.0 kg82.5 kgSnatch 170.0 kg 170.0 kg 160.0 kgClean & Jerk 222.5 kg 210.0 kg 202.5 kgTotalYurik Vardanyan|URS}} 392.5 kgAsen Zlatev|BUL|1971}} 372.5 kgDušan Poliačik|TCH}} 367.5 kg90 kgSnatch 185.0 kgWR 180.0 kg 167.5 kgClean & Jerk 220.0 kg 217.5 kg 212.5 kgTotalBlagoy Blagoev|BUL|1971}} 405.0 kgWRYury Zakharevich|URS}} 397.5 kgLubomir Usherov|BUL|1971}} 380.0 kg100 kgSnatch 182.5 kg 177.5 kg 175.0 kgClean & Jerk 225.0 kg 217.5 kg 217.5 kgTotalViktor Sots|URS}} 407.5 kgBruno Matykiewicz|TCH}} 392.5 kgVeselin Osikovski|BUL|1971}} 387.5 kg110 kgSnatch 185.0 kg 180.0 kg 180.0 kgClean & Jerk 235.0 kg 227.5 kg 225.0 kgTotalValery Kravchuk|URS}} 415.0 kgVyacheslav Klokov|URS}} 410.0 kgPlamen Asparukhov|BUL|1971}} 405.0 kg+110 kgSnatch 187.5 kg 187.5 kg 185.0 kgClean & Jerk 237.5 kg 237.5 kg 232.5 kgTotalAnatoly Pisarenko|URS}} 425.0 kgSenno Salzwedel|GDR}} 417.5 kgTadeusz Rutkowski|POL}} 415.0 kg

Medal table Ranking by Big (Total result) medals

References Results (Chidlovski.net) М. Л. Аптекарь. «Тяжёлая атлетика. Справочник.» — М.: «Физкультура и спорт», 1983. — 416 с.