Romela Begaj

{{Short description|Albanian weightlifter (born 1986)}}

{{use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| nationality = Albanian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|11|2|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tirana, Albania

| height = 1.60 m

| weight = 63 kg

| country = Albania

| sport = Weightlifting

| event = 63kg

| coach = Gazmend Haksan

| worlds = 1

| olympics =

| highestranking = 1

| pb =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSport|Women's weightlifting}}

{{MedalCountry|{{ALB}}}}

{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}

{{Medal|Disqualified |2017 Anaheim|–69 kg}}

{{MedalCompetition|European Championships}}

{{MedalSilver|2008 Lignano Sabbiadoro|–58 kg}}

{{MedalSilver|2010 Minsk|–58 kg}}

{{MedalSilver|2012 Antalya|–58 kg}}

{{MedalBronze|2009 Bucharest|–58 kg}}

{{MedalBronze|2013 Tirana|–58 kg}}

{{MedalCompetition|Mediterranean Games}}

{{MedalGold|2009 Pescara|–58 kg}}

{{MedalBronze|2005 Almería|–58 kg}}

}}

Romela Aleksandër Begaj (born 2 November 1986) is an Albanian weightlifter.{{Cite web |url=http://jezebel.com/assets/images/jezebel/2008/08/albanianweightlifter081108.jpg |title=Albanianweightlifter081108.JPG (600x861 pixels) |access-date=13 August 2008 |archive-date=26 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126225018/jezebel.com/assets/images/jezebel/2008/08/albanianweightlifter081108.jpg |url-status=dead }} On 11 November 2014 in Almaty she became world champion in the Snatch style for the category up to 63 kg.{{cite web |url=http://www.balkaneu.com/albanian-female-weightlifter-romela-begaj-announced-world-champion/ |title=Romela Begaj announced world champion |publisher=Independent Balkan News Agency |date=13 November 2014 |accessdate=23 November 2014}} Previously Begaj represented Albania at the 2008 European Weightlifting Championships where she took home the silver medal.{{cite web |title=BEGAJ Romela |publisher=International Weightlifting Federation |url=http://www.iwf.net/results/results_athlete_e.php?compid=1214 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527162628/http://www.iwf.net/results/results_athlete_e.php?compid=1214 |archivedate=2011-05-27}} She also represented Albania at 2008 Olympic Games in China where she finished 6th in the under 58 kg category.{{cite web |title=BEGAJ Romela |publisher=International Weightlifting Federation |url=http://www.iwf.net/results/results_athlete_e.php?compid=890 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527162737/http://www.iwf.net/results/results_athlete_e.php?compid=890 |archivedate=2011-05-27}}

In the 2011 World Weightlifting Championships she got bronze medal in snatch.

Begaj, 28, became the first Albanian woman to win a World Championship gold medal by lifting 113 kg in the snatch. However, Begaj failed an anti-doping test for this event and her results were expunged.{{Cite web |url=http://www.top-channel.tv/lajme/artikull.php?id=289963 |title=Top Channel - Lajmet e fundit minute pas minute, art, sport, Portokalli, Fiks Fare, Top Story, Perputhen, Big Brother Albania, Big Brother VIP, Shqiperia Live}}

In January 2019, International Weightlifting Federation banned her for eight years for the doping violation.{{Cite news |date=2019-01-26 |title=Albanian weightlifter’s eight-year doping ban means American Mattie Rogers moves up to world silver |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1074701/albanian-weightlifters-eight-year-doping-ban-means-american-mattie-rogers-moves-up-to-world-silver |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250124072056/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1074701/albanian-weightlifters-eight-year-doping-ban-means-american-mattie-rogers-moves-up-to-world-silver |archive-date=2025-01-24 |access-date=2025-02-10}}