Armenian Wrestling

[Armen]

Armenian is Bulgaria's hero

 

ARMENIAN-BORN wrest-ler Armen Nazarian has become Bulgaria's newest national hero by winning the country a gold medal last Sunday at the World Wrestling Championship in Paris.

 

This is the second gold medal that Nazarian has won for his adoptive country.

 

First he won the title in Moscow in 2002. Nazarian has twice won gold medals at Olympic games. His first title was for Armenia, that he took in Atlanta in 1996.

 

After that the president of Bulgarian Wrestling Federation Grisha Ganchev bought him for his own club Slavia-Litex and for Bul-garia. Nazarian thanked Ganchev with a Olympic title in 2000 in Sydney and five gold medals in the Eurochampionships. In 1998 he was named Best Wrestler of the year.

 

"I'm very happy with the title from France. First of all I want to say that it is not mine but that of the Bulgarian people. I want to dedicate it to Mr. Grisha Ganchev who is one of the few people in the country who gives money and takes care for our sport," Naza-rian said.

 

He will be awarded with $14 000 for his title in France. The money will be handed over by Ganchev who attended all the Naza-rian fights in France.

 

"My most difficult moment in France was in the final game against Roberto Monzon. My last defeat was by him two years ago. He is an excellent wrestler, but before the fight my coaches and I had spied on him very well.

 

"At the end of the game I felt tired but I managed to cope with his final attacks. Before the Championship I was sure that I would win the gold medal. My aim was to have two titles from big tournaments. Up to that moment I had only one world title," Nazarian said.

 

He said his next goal is the Olympic games in Athens next year.

 

"Nothing else matters to me till the summer of 2004. I'm sure that if God saves me from unpredictable in-jury I can win a third gold medal at the Olympic games," Nazarian said.

 

After the World Cham-pionship in France it became clear that in all fights he was injured.

 

Before each game the doctor of the national team had given him painkilling injections. The doctor wanted to withdraw him from fighting in the final game because of the major risk to his health. Nazarian, however, was firm that he would accept responsibility if something bad happened to him.

 

Nazarian is an admirable wrestler.

 

Said Ganchev, "When they wanted money from me to buy him from his Armenian club and federation I did not hesitate at all.

 

"I had seen some of his fights and was sure that he would bring titles and glory to Bulgaria. Later it showed up that I had been right. Armen is also a big man. He overcome the pain before the final game and managed to win it.

 

"As a Bulgarian I can say a sincere thank you to him," Ganchev said.

 

 

ArmeniaNow.com, Greco-Roman Wrestling (48th World Championships)

Three Armenians took medals in the 48th World Greco-Roman Senior Championships in France last week. None, however, was representing Armenia.

Armen Nazaryan of Bulgaria won gold in the 60 kg. weight category. Armen Vardanyan from Ukraine took silver in 66 kg. And Ara Abrahamyan of Sweden won silver in 84 kg.

None of the Armenian team placed