History of sport
National Olympic Committee of Armenia is 25 years old. This quarter century of independence has given 25 remarkable moments for sportsformation in chronology of thousand-years old Olympic movement.
The Armenian sports in days of the USSR
In Armenia sports have started to develop from 20 till 30-s' of 20th century. Till 1946 the Armenian and Soviet sportsmen had no powers for participation in the international competitions and could take part only in competitions organised by Soviet Union. During that period the Armenian sportsmen reached big successes in athletics and wrestling. Among them are the triple champion of Soviet Union on athletics, the Armenian sportsman,SergoAmbartsumjan (1933-1935), the double champion, the master of sports on Greco-Roman wrestling,SargisVardanyan (1940, 1944).
International arenas
When the Soviet sportsmen have started to take part in the European tournaments, Ivan Azarov an armenian athlete from Yerevan became the first international Armenian champion. He won a gold medal in the lowest weight category in Helsinki. On Olympic games in Helsinki on debut performance for the Soviet sportsmen Grant Shahinyan became the first Armenian champion. He was awarded by a gold medal for exercise on rings in gymnastics and for command superiority.
Subsequently the Armenian sportsmen unconditionally took part in summer Olympic gamesunder the banner of the USSR and have reached numerous successes in athletics (VardanMilitosyan, Jury Vardanjan, Jury
Sargsyan, Ogsen Mirzoyan, Israel Militosyan), in boxing (Vladimir Engibaryan, Israel Hakobkokhyan, Mekhak Ghazaryan, Nshan Munchyan), in freestyle wrestling (Arshak Sanoyan, Gurgen Baghdasaryan, Stepan Sargsyan, Gnel Mejlumyan), in Greco-Roman wrestling (Mnatcakan Iskandaryan, Benur Pashyan, Levon Julfalakyan, etc.), in sambo(Gagik Ghazaryan, Gurgen Tutkhalyan), in gymnastics (Albert Azaryan, Edward Mikaelyan, Arthur Hakobyan, Edward Azaryan), in track and field athletics (Robert Emmiyan), in shooting (Hrachia Petikyan, Zynaida Simonyan), in ping-pong (Elmira Antonyan, Narine Antonyan, Anita Zakaryan), in jumps in water (David Hambardzumyan), in competitions on diving (Shavarsh Karapetyan) and in other kinds of sports. The Armenian sportsmen also took part in such kinds of sports as football (Edward Margarov, ArcadiAndreasyan), basketball (ArmenakAlachachyan, VitalyZastukhov), volleyball (Nina Muradyan), field hockey (SosHayrapetyan).
Especially the Armenian chess players were famous. Tigran Petrosyan has kept a title of the champion during 1963-1969 years. Also Rafael Vahanyan had a great amount of victories under the banner of Soviet Union.
The reached successes after independence of Armenia
In 1993 under the flag of independent Armenia the first Armenian champion became the athlete Khachatur Kyapanaktcyan. And the first world champions became Nshan Manukyanon boxing and Aghasi Manukyan on Greco-Roman wrestling. In 1994 Erjanik Avetisyan became the champion of Europe in shooting tournament.
On Olympic games in Atlanta Armen Nazaryan became the Olympic champion on Greco-Roman wrestling. During 1995-1998 years Arayik Gevorgyan became the triple world champion on freestyle wrestling.
During different periods Armenia on Olympic games was basically represented by the Armenian and Russian sportsmen. The Armenian sportsmen participate in Olympic games from 1952 year. From 1952 till 1988 Armenia took part under the flag of the USSR. After the collapse of the USSR in 1992 the former countries of it took part in competitions under the flag of the CIS. From 1996 the Armenian sportsmen began to take part in Olympic games under the flag of Armenia
On October 24, 1990 the National Olympic Committee of Armenia (NOCA) was founded, and was officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee on September 24, 1993.
The first president of NOCA was appointed Ruben Hakobyan till 1993. Afterwards the presidents of NOCA were Ruben Torosyan (1993-1994), Aleksan Avetisyan (1994-1999), Benur Pashyan (1999-2000), Ishkhan Zakaryan (2000-2005), and since 2005 the committee is headed by Gagik Tsarukyan.
Arayik Gevorgyan
World champion - 1995, 1997, 1998
Freestyle wrestling
Hrant Shahinyan
World champion - 1954
Gymnastics
Aram Margaryan
World champion - 2002
Freestyle wrestling
Igor Novikov
World champion - 1957-1959, 1961,1962
Modern Pentathlon
Աշխարհի չեմպիոն՝ 1958
Ազատ ոճի ըմբշամարտ
Artur Hakobyan
Աշխարհի չեմպիոն՝ 1979, 1981, 1983
Մարմնամարզություն
Valentin Chernikov
World champion - 1958, 1961
Fencing
Ashot Karagyan
World champion - 1981
Fencing
Zinaida Simonyan
World champion - 1974
Shooting
Hrachya Petikyan
World champion - 1989
Shooting
Erjanik Avetisyan
World champion - 1994,1999, 2001,2006
Shooting
Yuriy Vardanyan
World champion - 1977-1979,1981,1983,1985
Weightlifting
Yuriy Sargsyan
World champion - 1982, 1983
Weightlifting
Oksen Mirzoyan
World champion - 1983
Weightlifting
Israyel Militosyan
World champion - 1989
Weightlifting
Nazik Avdalyan
World champion - 2009
Weightlifting
Benur Pashayan
World champion - 1981, 1983
Greco-Roman wrestling
Levon Julfalakyan
World champion - 1986
Greco-Roman wrestling
Mnatsakan Iskandaryan
World champion - 1990, 1991, 1994
Greco-Roman wrestling
Aghasi Manukyan
World champion - 1993
Greco-Roman wrestling
Vaghinak Galstyan
World champion - 2001
Greco-Roman wrestling
Garnik Hovhannisyan
World champion - 1981
Sambo
Gurgen Tutkhanyan
World champion - 1988, 1989 ,1990,1991
Sambo
Gagik Ghazaryan
World champion - 1988-1991
Sambo
Hovik Manukyan
World champion - 1993
Sambo
Qristine Najaryan
World champion - 1998, 2004
Sambo
Arevik Karapetyan
World champion - 1999
Sambo
Artur Grigoryan
World champion - 1990, 1991
Sambo
Yervand Grigoryan
World champion - 1997, 1998
Sambo
Rafael Vahanyan
World team champion - 1985, 1989
Chess
Hrachya Shahazizyan
World champion - 1985,1978, 1989, 1991, 1994, 2001, 2003,2011
Ship modeling
Israyel Hakobkokhyan
World champion - 1989
Boxing
Nshan Munchyan
World champion - 1993
Boxing
Oleg Klevtsov
World champion - 1990
Cycling
Tigran Martirosyan
World champion - 2010
Weightlifting
David Safaryan
World champion - 2013
Freestyle wrestling
Mavrik Nasibyan
World champion - 2014
Sambo
Arsen Julfalakyan
World champion - 2014
Greco-Roman wrestling
Artur Aleksanyan
World champion - 2014, 2015
Greco-Roman wrestling
Gabriel Sargsyan
World team champion - 2011
Chess
Robert Hovhannisyan
World team champion - 2011
Chess
Vladimir Hakobyan
World team champion - 2011
Chess
Levon Aronyan
World team champion - 2011
Chess
Hrant Shahinyan
Olympic champion - Helsinki-1952
Gymnastics
Albert Azaryan
Olympic champion - Melbourne-1956, Rome-1960
Gymnastics
Vladimir Yengibaryan
Olympic champion - Melbourne-1956
Boxing
Igor Novikov
Olympic champion - Melbourne-1956,Tokyo-1964
Modern Pentathlon
Faina Melik
Olympic champion - Munich-1972
Athletic (discus)
Yuriy Vardanyan
Olympic champion - Moscow-1980
Weightlifting
Eduard Azaryan
Olympic champion - Moscow-1980
Gymnastics
Oksen Mirzoyan
Olympic champion - Seoul-1988
Weightlifting
Levon Julfalakyan
Olympic champion - Seoul-1988
Greco-Roman wrestling
Israyel Militosyan
Olympic champion - Barcelona-1992
Weightlifting
Mnatsakan Iskandaryan
Olympic champion - Barcelona-1992
Greco-Roman wrestling
Hrachya Petikyan
Olympic champion - Barcelona-1992
Shooting
Armen Nazaryan
Olympic champion - Atlanta-1996
Greco-Roman wrestling
Ivan Azdarov
European champion - 1947
Weightlifting
Albert Azaryan
European champion - 1955
Gymnastics
Vardan Militosyan
European champion - 1947
Weightlifting
Yuriy Vardanyan
European champion - 1977, 1980-1983, 1978
Weightlifting
Yuriy Sargsyan
European champion - 1982, 1983
Weightlifting
Vladimir Yengibaryan
European champion - 1955, 1957, 1959
Boxing
Albert Nikolyan
European champion - 1979
Boxing
Samson Khachatyan
European champion - 1985
Boxing
Israyel Hakobkokhyan
European champion - 1985,1989,1991
Boxing
Nshan Munchyan
European champion - 1987
Boxing
Mekhak GHazaryan
European champion - 1987
Boxing
Artur Hakobyan
European champion - 1981
Gymnastics
Vitaliy Zastukhov
European champion - 1969
Basketball
Faina Melik
European champion - 1971, 1972,1974
Athletic (discus)
Robert Emmiyan
European champion - 1986
Athletics (Long Jump)
Artur Aleksanyan
European champion - 2012, 2013, 2014
Greco-Roman wrestling
Zinaida Simonyan
European champion - 1971, 1975, 1976,1978,1979,1981
Shooting
Tigran Kirakosyan
European champion - 2014
Sambo
David Safaryan
European champion - 2013
Freestyle wrestlin
Hrachya Petikyan
European champion - 1983, 1985
Shooting
Yerjanik Avetisyan
European champion - 1991,1994,2000,2001, 2012
Shooting
Elmira Antonyan
European champion - 1976
Table tennis
Vachik Vardanyan
European champion - 2011
Sambo
Ashot Danielyan
European champion - 2010
Sambo
Narine Antonyan
European champion - 1980, 1984
Table tennis
Anita Zakharyan
European champion - 1980, 1984
Table tennis
Hrachik Javakhyan
European champion - 2010
Boxing
Yakov Kliver
European champion - 1978, 1979
Sailing
Gevorik Poghosyan
European champion - 2010
Weightlifting
Arsen Julfalakyan
European champion - 2009
Greco-Roman wrestling
Sergey Foglev
European champion - 1979
Sailing
Robert Nersisyan
European champion - 1978
Greco-Roman wrestling
Yuri Patrikeev
European champion - 2009
Greco-Roman wrestling
Araqel Mirzoyan
European champion - 2009
Weightlifting
Benur Pashayan
European champion - 11981, 1982
Greco-Roman wrestling
Tigran G. Martirosyan
European champion - 2008-2010
Weightlifting
Levon Julfalakyan
European champion - 1986
Greco-Roman wrestling
Tigran V. Martirosyan
European champion - 2008
Weightlifting
Arman Yeremyan
European champion - 2008
Taekwondo
Mnatsakan Iskandaryan
European champion - 1991, 1992
Greco-Roman wrestling
Hovhannes Danielyan
European champion - 2008
Boxing
Alfred Ter-Mkrtchyan
European champion - 1992
Greco-Roman wrestling
Eduard Hambardzumyan
European champion - 2008
Boxing
Nazik Avdalyan
European champion - 2008
Weightlifting
Armen Nazaryan
European champion - 1947
Greco-Roman wrestling
Meline Daluzyan
European champion - 2007, 2008
Weightlifting
Arshak Sanoyan
European champion - 1978
Freestyle wrestling
Gurgen Baghdasaryan
European champion - 1978
Freestyle wrestling
Stepan Sargsyan
European champion - 1988
Freestyle wrestling
Hripsime Khurshudyan
European champion - 2006, 2007
Weightlifting
Armen Mkrtchyan
European champion - 1994
Freestyle wrestling
Roman Amoyan
European champion - 2006, 2011
Greco-Roman wrestling
Anushavan Sahakyan
European champion - 1994
Freestyle wrestling
Gevorg Davtyan
European champion - 2006
Weightlifting
Arayik Gevorgyan
European champion - 1995, 1997 1998
Freestyle wrestling
Armen Nazaryan
European champion - 2005
Judo
Martin Berberyan
European champion - 2004
Freestyle wrestling
David Hambardzumyan
European champion - 1981, 1983
Diving
Rafael Vahanyan
European team champion - 1983
Chess
Movses Karapetyan
European champion - 2005
Greco-Roman wrestling
Levon Aronyan
European team champion - 1999
Chess
Vahan Juharyan
European champion - 2004
Greco-Roman wrestling
Khachatur Qyapanakcyan
European champion - 1993
Weightlifting
Yervand Grigoryan
European champion - 2003
Sambo
Elina Danielyan
European team champion - 2003
Chess
Lilit Mkrtchyan
European team champion - 2003
Chess
Nelli Aghinyan
European team champion - 2003
Chess
Vahan Khojoyan
European champion - 1999
Sambo
Gohar Gevorgyan
European champion - 1999
Sambo
Kristine Najaryan
European champion - 1999, 2001
Sambo
Ashot Danielyan
European champion - 1999-2000
Weightlifting
Ashot Anastasyan
European team champion - 1999
Chess
Artashes Minasyan
European team champion - 1999
Chess
Smbat Lputyan
European team champion - 1999
Chess
Karen Mnacakanyan
European champion - 1997, 2006
Greco-Roman wrestling
Gurgen Tutkhalyan
European champion - 1986
Sambo
Vardan Voskanyan
European champion - 1990, 1992
Sambo
Armenak Aladjanyan
European champion - 1953
Basketball
Nina Muradyan
European champion - 1977
Volleyball