GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Aug 7 - Germany's Ralf Bartels won the first gold of the European championships on Monday, snatching victory in the shot put with his final effort.

Bartels, bronze medallist in Munich four years ago, took the title by two centimetres from former world champion Andrei Mikhnevich of Belarus with a best of 21.13 metres.

Mikhnevich, who had led the competition from the second round had to settle for silver with 21.11.

Denmark's Joachim Olsen was third with 21.09.