Sports Briefing

[MosJan]

Sports Briefing

By Michael Harutiunian

ArmeniaWeek reporter

Winter Olympic Games

http://www.armeniaweek.com/jan112002/photos/sports_1.jpg

A third Armenian skier has qualified for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games next month in the United States.

 

Aram Hajian, 22, is eligible to compete in cross-country skiing after earning enough qualifying points during competition in Krasnogorsk, Russia last month.

 

Hajian, a native of Gyumri, joins alpine skiers Vanessa Rakedjian (from Marseille, France) and Arsen Harutiunian of Tsakhadzor on the Armenian team.

 

Figure Skating

 

Armenia will be represented by four skaters during the European Figure Skating Championships, in Lausanne, Switzerland January 14-20.

 

Julia Lebedeva, 23, had skated for her native home, Russia, until 1999, when she became a member of the Armenian team.

 

Performing for Armenia Lebedeva finished 14th at Golden Spin competition in Zagreb, Croatia last year and 16th in the same competition in 2000. Skating for Russia, she won first place in Gdansk, Poland in 1995.

 

Lebedeva is ranked 133rd (out of 191) in International Skating Union (ISU) standings.

 

Two other Russians, Maria Krasiltseva, 20, and Artem Znachkov, 22, will skate for Armenia in pairs competition.

 

The pair (pictured) have been skating together in competition since 1998. Their best performance was a fifth-place finish in Croatia in 2000. Krasiltseva and Znachknov are ranked 28 in ISU standings (out of 145).

 

Aramais Grigorian, 31, of Yerevan will represent Armenia in men's competition. Grigorian doesn't have an ISU ranking.

 

The 2002 European Championships will be the 93rd for the men, the 66th for the ladies and pairs, and the 49th for ice dancers.

 

The country with the most gold medals is Russia (URS / CIS / RUS), with 75, followed by Austria (44), Germany (GER / FRG / GDR: 43), Great Britain (27) and France (15).

Photo: www.iskater.com

 

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