Weightlifting in Armenia

Weightlifting was introduced to Armenia in the late 1920s and became widely practiced after World War II. Today, it is one of the country's most popular sports.^[1] The sport is regulated by the Armenian Weightlifting Federation. The first weightlifters from Soviet Armenia made successful appearances on the international stage in the 1970s. Vardan Militosyan won a silver at the 1976 Olympics, and later Yurik Vardanyan became an Olympic, World and European champion through the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Oksen Mirzoyan and Yurik Sarkisyan rose to top positions in the 1980s. After its independence from the Soviet Union, Armenia successfully held its weightlifting traditions and continues to be one of the strongest nations in Europe. In 2008, the Armenia team placed first at the European Championship. In the 2008 Summer Olympics Armenia won three bronze medals. Tigran Gevorg Martirosyan is Armenia's only world champion with his successful appearance in 2010.

Armenia's second largest city of Gyumri with a population of about 150,000, is well known for producing many prominent weightlifters,^[2] such as World and European weightlifting champions Yurik Vardanyan, Israel Militosyan, Gevorg Davtyan, Tigran G. Martirosyan and Nazik Avdalyan.^{[3][4][5][6][7]}

Weightlifting is known in Armenian as either ծանրամարտ tsanramart, composed of ծանր tsanr "heavy" and մարտ mart "fight" or ծանր աթլետիկա tsanr at'letika literally "heavy athletics" (via Russian тяжёлая атлетика).^[8]

The origins of weight lifting trace back to ancient history, most notably Ancient Greece. Modern weightlifting, however, is relatively new and was mainly organized and institutionalized in Europe and North America in the late 19th century. The current International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) was established in 1920. Weightlifting has been in all Summer Olympic Games except 1900, 1908 and 1912.^[9]

Weightlifting was introduced to Armenia in the first decade of Soviet rule in Armenia. In 1927, a weightlifting club was established in the Armenian Sport Committee. In 1928, the first weightlifting championship was held in Yerevan and the first Armenian weightlifters participated in the Transcacucasian and later in Soviet championship. In 1947, the first Armenian weightlifter competed in a European championship.^[8][10]

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was, by far, the strongest nation in the world in the sport of weightlifting^[9] and Armenian athletes made a significant contribution to this.^[11]

By 1979, there were 205 weightlifting clubs in Soviet Armenia with around 5,200 people training in them.^[8] By the 1970s Armenian weightlifters began to play an important role in the Soviet Union's weightlifting program. The first Olympic medalist from the Armenian SSR was Vardan Militosyan, who won a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics.^[12]

Yurik Vardanyan became the first weightlifter from Armenia to win a gold medal in weightlifting at the 1980 Summer Olympics. In a dominant performance, Vardanyan became the first ever light-heavyweight (82.5 kg) to lift a total of 400 kg in an official competition, shattering both the Olympic and world records. By contrast, middle-heavyweight gold medalist Peter Baczako (90 kg) totaled 377.5 kg and sub-heavyweight gold medalist Ota Zaremba (100 kg) totaled 395 kg.^[13] Vardanyan set the division record for a final time at the 1984 Friendship Games, an alternative to the Soviet-boycotted 1984 Summer Olympics, lifting a total of 405 kg. Vardanyan's achievements have not been matched since, as the current light-heavyweight record for the now 85 kg light heavyweight category (not including records set before the weight limit change) is currently 394 kg, set by Andrei Rybakou at the 2008 Summer Olympics.^[14] Vardanyan set 41 world records during his decorated career.^[15] For his accomplishments, Vardanyan earned the title Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR in 1977 and was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1985. In 1994 he was elected a member of the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame.^[16]

To this day, Vardanyan is still seen as a hero in Armenia for his accomplishments in the sport of weightlifting. A stamp of Vardanyan was printed in 2010 in honor of him.^[17]

Along with Vardanyan, other significant Armenian weightlifters of the 1980s included 1980 Olympic silver medalist Yurik Sarkisyan, who set 12 world records during his career,^[18] and 1988 Olympic gold medalist Oksen Mirzoyan, who set also set 12 world records during his career.^[19]

At the 1992 Summer Olympics, Israel Militosyan, who previously won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics, won a gold medal in the same division. Militosyan is, to this day, the final Armenian to win an Olympic gold medal.^[20] The 1992 Olympics signaled the end of Soviet weightlifting.

Armenia has so far set four world records in weightlifting, all in the snatch. Khachatur Kyapanaktsyan set two of them. Sergo Chakhoyan set another. Militosyan, who set a snatch world record twice in 1989 under the Soviet Union, set the record again in 1994 for Armenia.^[21]

Aghvan Grigoryan, who became the first Armenian Olympian to bear the flag of Armenia at the Summer Olympics in 1996, was a weightlifter. Arsen Melikyan became the first Armenian weightlifter for the independent Armenia to win an Olympic medal, having won a bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics.^[22]

Armenian weightlifters were particularly successful in 2008. They came in first place at the 2008 European Weightlifting Championships and Tigran Gevorg Martirosyan, Gevorg Davtyan and Tigran Vardan Martirosyan all won bronze medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics, making it the most decorated Olympics for Armenia to date. Nazik Avdalyan won a gold medal at the 2009 World Weightlifting Championships and became the first weightlifter from independent Armenia to win a gold medal at the World Weightlifting Championships. Tigran Gevorg Martirosyan also won a gold medal at the 2010 World Weightlifting Championships, becoming the first male weightlifter from independent Armenia to do so. Hripsime Khurshudyan became the first Armenian woman to win an Olympic medal at the Olympics, having won a bronze medal in weightlifting at the 2012 Summer Olympics.^[26]

Oksen Mirzoyan later became the Head Coach of the Armenian national weightlifting team and is now the current Chairman of the Armenian Weightlifting Federation.^[27]

Armenia's statistics agency recorded a downward trend in the 21st century in the number of people practicing weightlifting. In 2005 Armenia had over 2,500 weightlifters, which dropped to 1,700 by 2021.^[23][25]

The 2023 European Weightlifting Championships were held in Yerevan from 15 to 23 April 2023.

Note: Until 1991, Armenian SSR was part of the Soviet Union and in 1992, weightlifters from independent Armenia were part of the Unified Team^[28]

Men [edit] Games Name Class Medal Ref Soviet Union 1976 Montreal Vardan Militosyan 75 kg  Silver [29] 1980 Moscow Yurik Sarkisyan 56 kg  Silver [30] 1980 Moscow Yurik Vardanyan 82.5 kg  Gold [31] 1988 Seoul Oksen Mirzoyan 56 kg  Gold [32] 1988 Seoul Israel Militosyan 67.5 kg  Silver [33] Unified Team 1992 Barcelona Israel Militosyan 67.5 kg  Gold [33] Armenia 2000 Sydney Arsen Melikyan 77 kg  Bronze [34] 2008 Beijing Tigran G. Martirosyan (disqualified) 69 kg  Bronze [35] 2008 Beijing Gevorg Davtyan 77 kg  Bronze [36] 2008 Beijing Tigran V. Martirosyan 85 kg  Silver [37] 2016 Rio Simon Martirosyan 105 kg  Silver 2016 Rio Gor Minasyan +105 kg  Silver 2020 Tokyo Simon Martirosyan 109 kg  Silver 2024 Paris Varazdat Lalayan 102 kg  Silver

Women [edit] Games Athlete Class Medal Ref 2012 London Hripsime Khurshudyan +75 kg  Bronze [38]

Men [edit] Year Athlete Class Position Ref Soviet Union 1959 Warsaw Akop Faradzhyan 67.5 kg  Silver 1977 Stuttgart Yurik Vardanyan 75 kg  Gold 1978 Gettysburg Vardan Militosyan 75 kg  Silver 1978 Gettysburg Yurik Vardanyan 82.5 kg  Gold 1979 Thessaloniki Yurik Vardanyan 82.5 kg  Gold 1981 Lille Yurik Sarkisyan 60 kg  Bronze 1981 Lille Yurik Vardanyan 82.5 kg  Gold 1982 Ljubljana Oksen Mirzoyan 56 kg  Silver 1982 Ljubljana Yurik Sarkisyan 60 kg  Gold 1982 Ljubljana Yurik Vardanyan 90 kg  Silver 1983 Moscow Oksen Mirzoyan 56 kg  Gold 1983 Moscow Yurik Sarkisyan 60 kg  Gold 1983 Moscow Yurik Vardanyan 82.5 kg  Gold 1985 Södertälje Oksen Mirzoyan 56 kg  Silver 1985 Södertälje Yurik Sarkisyan 60 kg  Silver 1985 Södertälje Yurik Vardanyan 82.5 kg  Gold 1986 Sofia Oksen Mirzoyan 56 kg  Bronze 1987 Ostrava Yurik Sarkisyan 60 kg  Silver 1987 Ostrava Oksen Mirzoyan 60 kg  Bronze 1989 Athens Israel Militosyan 67.5 kg  Gold 1991 Donaueschingen Yurik Sarkisyan 60 kg  Silver 1991 Donaueschingen Yurik Sarkisyan 67.5 kg  Silver Armenia 1993 Melbourne Yurik Sarkisyan 64 kg  Bronze [39] 1994 Istanbul Sergo Chakhoyan 83 kg  Silver [40] 1995 Guangzhou Aleksander Karapetyan 91 kg  Silver [41] 1998 Lahti Ara Vardanyan +105 kg  Silver [42] 2006 Santo Domingo Ara Khachatryan 77 kg  Bronze [43] 2006 Santo Domingo Tigran V. Martirosyan 85 kg  Bronze [44] 2007 Chiang Mai Gevorg Davtyan 77 kg  Silver [45] 2009 Goyang Arakel Mirzoyan 69 kg  Silver [46] 2009 Goyang Tigran G. Martirosyan 77 kg  Silver [47] 2010 Antalya Tigran G. Martirosyan 77 kg  Gold [48] 2015 Houston Andrankik Karapetyan 77 kg  Bronze 2015 Houston Gor Minasyan +105 kg  Bronze 2018 Ashgabat Simon Martirosyan 109 kg  Gold 2018 Ashgabat Gor Minasyan +109 kg  Silver 2019 Pattaya Hakob Mkrtchyan 89 kg  Gold 2019 Pattaya Simon Martirosyan 109 kg  Gold 2019 Pattaya Gor Minasyan +109 kg  Silver 2019 Pattaya Ruben Aleksanyan +109 kg  Bronze 2021 Tashkent Simon Martirosyan 109 kg  Bronze 2021 Tashkent Varazdat Lalayan +109 kg  Silver 2021 Tashkent Gor Minasyan +109 kg  Bronze 2022 Bogotá Samvel Gasparyan 102 kg  Bronze 2022 Bogotá Varazdat Lalayan +109 kg  Bronze 2023 Riyadh Gor Sahakyan 67 kg  Bronze

Women [edit] Year Athlete Class Position Ref 2006 Santo Domingo Meline Daluzyan 63 kg  Bronze [49] 2009 Goyang Nazik Avdalyan 69 kg  Gold [50] 2009 Goyang Hripsime Khurshudyan 75 kg  Bronze [50] 2010 Antalya Meline Daluzyan 69 kg  Bronze [51]

Men [edit] Year Athlete Class Position Ref 1994 Sokolov Khachatur Kyapanaktsyan 76 kg  Silver [52] 1995 Warsaw Khachatur Kyapanaktsyan 76 kg  Silver [53] 1995 Warsaw Hovhannes Barseghyan 76 kg  Bronze [53] 1995 Warsaw Aleksander Karapetyan 91 kg  Bronze [54] 1998 Riesa Khachatur Kyapanaktsyan 77 kg  Bronze [55] 1998 Riesa Ara Vardanyan +105 kg  Bronze [56] 1999 A Coruña Ashot Danielyan +105 kg  Gold [57] 2000 Sofia Ashot Danielyan +105 kg  Gold [58] 2001 Trenčín Hovannes Amreyan 77 kg  Silver [59] 2001 Trenčín Hakob Pilosyan 94 kg  Bronze [60] 2003 Loutraki Ashot Danielyan +105 kg  Silver [61] 2005 Sofia Arsen Melikyan 85 kg  Bronze [62] 2005 Sofia Ashot Danielyan +105 kg  Bronze [63] 2006 Władysławowo Armen Ghazaryan 69 kg  Bronze [64] 2006 Władysławowo Gevorg Davtyan 77 kg  Gold [65] 2007 Strasbourg Tigran G. Martirosyan 69 kg  Silver [66] 2007 Strasbourg Gevorg Davtyan 77 kg  Gold [67] 2007 Strasbourg Ara Khachatryan 77 kg  Silver [67] 2008 Lignano Sabbiadoro Tigran G. Martirosyan 69 kg  Gold [68] 2008 Lignano Sabbiadoro Ara Khachatryan 77 kg  Silver [69] 2008 Lignano Sabbiadoro Tigran V. Martirosyan 85 kg  Gold [70] 2009 Bucharest Arakel Mirzoyan 69 kg  Gold [71] 2010 Minsk Smbat Margaryan 56 kg  Silver [72] 2010 Minsk Tigran G. Martirosyan 77 kg  Gold [73] 2010 Minsk Gevorik Poghosyan 85 kg  Gold [74] 2010 Minsk Ara Khachatryan 85 kg  Silver [74] 2010 Minsk Ruben Aleksanyan +105 kg  Silver [75] 2011 Kazan Arayik Mirzoyan 77 kg  Silver [76] 2014 Tel-Aviv Smbat Margaryan 56 kg  Bronze [77] 2014 Tel-Aviv Vanik Avetisyan 69 kg  Silver [78] 2014 Tel-Aviv Ruben Aleksanyan +105 kg  Silver [79] 2015 Tbilisi Smbat Margaryan 56 kg  Silver [80] 2015 Tbilisi Tigran G. Martirosyan 77 kg  Gold [81] 2015 Tbilisi Andranik Karapetyan 77 kg  Silver [82] 2016 Førde Andranik Karapetyan 77 kg  Gold 2016 Førde Tigran Gevorg Martirosyan 77 kg  Silver 2016 Førde Gor Minasyan +105 kg  Silver 2016 Førde Simon Martirosyan 105 kg  Bronze 2017 Split Simon Martirosyan 105 kg  Gold 2017 Split Gor Minasyan +105 kg  Silver 2017 Split Ruben Aleksanyan +105 kg  Bronze 2019 Batumi Hakob Mkrtchyan 89 kg  Gold 2019 Batumi Davit Hovhannisyan 89 kg  Bronze 2019 Batumi Samvel Gasparyan 102 kg  Silver 2019 Batumi Simon Martirosyan 102 kg  Gold 2019 Batumi Ruben Aleksanyan +109 kg  Bronze 2021 Moscow Karen Avagyan -89 kg  Gold 2021 Moscow Andranik Karapetyan -89 kg  Bronze 2021 Moscow Hakob Mkrtchyan -96 kg  Bronze 2021 Moscow Samvel Gasparyan -102 kg  Gold 2021 Moscow Arsen Martirosyan weightlifter -102 kg  Silver 2021 Moscow Gor Minasyan +109 kg  Silver 2021 Moscow Varazdat Lalayan +109 kg  Bronze 2022 Tirana Rafik Harutyunyan -81 kg  Gold 2022 Tirana Davit Hovhannisyan -96 kg  Gold 2022 Tirana Ara Aghanyan -96 kg  Silver 2022 Tirana Samvel Gasparyan -102 kg  Silver 2022 Tirana Arsen Martirosyan -109 kg  Bronze 2022 Tirana Varazdat Lalayan +109 kg  Silver 2022 Tirana Gor Minasyan +109 kg  Bronze 2023 Yerevan Gor Sahakyan -67 kg  Gold 2023 Yerevan Rafik Harutyunyan -81 kg  Bronze 2023 Yerevan Andranik Karapetyan -89 kg  Silver 2023 Yerevan Davit Hovhannisyan -96 kg  Gold 2023 Yerevan Ara Aghanyan -96 kg  Silver 2023 Yerevan Garik Karapetyan -102 kg  Gold 2023 Yerevan Samvel Gasparyan -109 kg  Gold 2023 Yerevan Petros Petrosyan -109 kg  Bronze 2023 Yerevan Varazdat Lalayan +109 kg  Silver 2023 Yerevan Simon Martirosyan +109 kg  Bronze 2024 Sofia Gor Sahakyan -67 kg  Gold 2024 Sofia Rafik Harutyunyan -81 kg  Bronze 2024 Sofia Hakob Mkrtchyan -96 kg  Gold 2024 Sofia Davit Hovhannisyan -96 kg  Silver 2024 Sofia Samvel Gasparyan -102 kg  Silver 2024 Sofia Garik Karapetyan -102 kg  Bronze 2024 Sofia Varazdat Lalayan +109 kg  Gold 2024 Sofia Simon Martirosyan +109 kg  Silver

Women [edit] Year Athlete Class Position Ref 2006 Władysławowo Hripsime Khurshudyan 75 kg  Silver [83] 2007 Strasbourg Meline Daluzyan 63 kg  Gold [84] 2007 Strasbourg Nazik Avdalyan 69 kg  Silver [84] 2007 Strasbourg Hripsime Khurshudyan 75 kg  Gold [84] 2008 Lignano Sabbiadoro Meline Daluzyan 63 kg  Gold [85] 2008 Lignano Sabbiadoro Nazik Avdalyan 69 kg  Gold [85] 2009 Bucharest Nazik Avdalyan 69 kg  Silver [86] 2009 Bucharest Hripsime Khurshudyan 75 kg  Silver [86] 2010 Minsk Meline Daluzyan 69 kg  Silver [87] 2010 Minsk Hripsime Khurshudyan 75 kg  Bronze [87] 2011 Kazan Hripsime Khurshudyan + 75 kg  Silver [88] 2016 Førde Nazik Avdalyan 69 kg  Gold 2016 Førde Hripsime Khurshudyan +75 kg  Gold 2017 Split Sona Poghosyan -75 kg  Bronze 2017 Split Tatev Hakobyan -90 kg  Bronze 2019 Batumi Liana Gyurjyan -81 kg  Bronze 2021 Moscow Liana Gyurjyan -81 kg  Bronze 2023 Yerevan Izabella Yaylyan -55 kg  Bronze 2023 Yerevan Tatev Hakobyan -81 kg  Silver 2023 Yerevan Hripsime Khurshudyan -87 kg  Bronze 2024 Sofia Aleksandra Grigoryan -55 kg  Gold 2024 Sofia Hripsime Khurshudyan -87 kg  Bronze