WARSAW, Poland -- Bulgarian weightlifter Zlatan Vasilev won the gold medal Saturday in the 85-kilogram division at the world championships.

Among the women, Russia's Svetlana Khabirova captured the 75-kilogram category.

Vasilev, formerly known as Vanev, snatched 167.5 kilograms, lifted 217 in the clean and jerk and finished with a total of 385 kilograms.

Georgia's Gheorghe Asanidze reached the same total but finished second because he was heavier. Asanidze was better than Vasilev in the snatch, with 177.5 kilograms, but lifted just 207.5 kilograms in the clean and jerk.

Belarus lifter Ruslan Novikov was third, with a snatch of 172.5 kilograms, a clean and jerk of 207.5 and a total of 380.

Khabirova beat world champion and record holder Sun Ruiping of China and won the title with a lift of 117.5 kilograms in snatch, 145 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 262.5.

"This is the success of my life. I will remember Warsaw very warmly,'' Khabirova said.

Sun, in her last attempt at gold, jerked the 150 kilograms needed to beat Khabirova, but she failed to lift it over her head.

The Chinese lifted finished second with 115 kilograms in the snatch, 145 in the clean and jerk for a total of 260 kilograms. She set three world records at the Asian Games in October.

"I was very tired after the games,'' she said. "My injured hip is giving me trouble again.''

The bronze medal went to Russia's Ludmila Arefeyeva, who was far behind the top two with 112.5 kilograms in the snatch, 125 in the clean and jerk and a total of 237.5.