Armen Posted August 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 Meet The US Olympians - Vanes Martirosyan First in a nine-part series by Thomas Gerbasi (July 27, 2004) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There was plenty of pressure on Vanes Martirosyan as he stepped into the ring for the beginning of the Western trials that would determine which fighters would then advance to the Olympic trials. Yet it wasn’t the fact that the then 17-year-old would have to win five fights in five days to make it to the Olympic trials. It went deeper than that. "My dad is a smoker," explains Martirosyan. "He told me that once I won the Western trials he would quit smoking. I wanted him to quit smoking because it’s not good for me and it’s especially not good for him." And despite being ranked 14th in the country in his weight class as of January of 2004, Martirosyan ran the gauntlet in Bakersfield, going 5-0 with two stoppages. But there was a catch. "I went to the Western trials and beat the number two guy right out of the gate in the first night," said Martirosyan. "I won the whole tournament and then he told me that if I won the trials, then he would quit smoking." So Martirosyan geared up again, and with two of the States’ top 152-pounders, Andre Berto and Juan McPherson disqualified after their controversial match-up, the Armenian born teenager made his way through the trials unscathed, earning a spot as the US’ representative at welterweight - a spot he further proved his worthiness of when he defeated Berto (now fighting for Haiti) in the Americas’ qualifier in Tijuana in March. More importantly, Norik Martirosyan quit smoking…for now. "After I made the team, then he quit smoking," said the 18-year-old welterweight, "but I think he’s starting back up. He might be doing it for me to win the Gold." If Martirosyan does stand on that podium in Athens next month, it will be the culmination of a great story that began in Armenia, where Martirosyan lived with his parents and three siblings until the family moved to the States in 1990. Three years after arriving, Norik Martirosyan brought his son to the boxing gym. "He felt I was an active kid and my father was a boxer also, so he put me in boxing when I was seven years old," said Martirosyan. "I started training and I started boxing." Ironically, as the youngster grew up, one of his local heroes was current teammate Andre Ward, and he aspired to the same type of success the light heavyweight from Oakland was enjoying. "When I was little I always used to watch Andre Ward fight where we used to live because he was from California," remembered Martirosyan. "He used to put on a show. After all that, I just trained every day. I would go online and look at the computer, look at the ranked guys, and I would always say, ‘when I’m older, I’ll be on top if I win this tournament.’ My dad always used to tell me that you’re just gonna come straight up top. I just worked hard and worked hard and when turned 17 I started fighting open and my dad said just go to the Olympic trials, do your best, and we’ll just think about 2008 if you don’t make this team. Just go out and have fun. Once I made the trials, I just went out there and had fun, and everything just worked out great and I made the team." Plus, now he has Ward not as just a fighter to admire, but as a teammate. "I look up to him like my older brother on the team," he said. "Me and Rau’Shee (Warren) are the youngest guys, so I look up to these guys like my older brothers. They give me advice and try to break me in." What about ribbing him and Warren because they’re the youngest? "They try to toughen me up a bit, but it’s good though," he laughs. Home schooled, Martirosyan was taken out of junior high school by his father when it was obvious that he needed to keep his son’s fighting confined to the ring. It was a wise choice. "There were fights going on and stuff like that, so my dad saw that that wasn’t good for me and he took me out," said Martirosyan. "Just because I was a boxer, friends tried to push me into fights, or try to be friends with me because I was a boxer. My dad found that out, so he took me out and said this is the best thing for you. You can get your education at home and you can do what you love to do, which is boxing." And that love for the game is obvious. In a sport where a poker face is essential to success, Martirosyan can’t hide his enthusiasm – this is a kid who is genuinely happy to be here. And with his success also comes the spoils – a celebrity status most 18-year-olds can only dream of. "Where I live in Glendale, it’s a big Armenian community so everybody’s proud of me," said Martirosyan. "When I walk out of my house people point at me and congratulate me. One lady even came up to me and kissed me. People cry when they see me on the streets because they’re so proud of me. You don’t see many Armenians come to the United States and make the Olympic team." That fact is not lost on Martirosyan. "My family is really happy because we finally have a way to thank this country," he said. Yet win or lose in Athens, you get the impression that Vanes Martirosyan will be just fine. "I don’t look at things in a bad way," he said. "I always look at them in a good way. I think that’s why it worked out for me this way. Every time, no matter what happened, I always had a smile. I just go back into the gym, work hard, come back, and do my best again." If that best earns him a medal next month, don’t worry - Martirosyan, like practically all his teammates, has already lived the moment out a thousand times. "Every time I’m running in the morning, listening to that CD player, sometimes when I’m laying in my room, tears come out of my eyes just thinking about it," he said. "I get chills all over my body thinking about standing on the podium with my Gold medal with the red, white, and blue. It feels so good, it’s the best feeling in the world." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harut Posted August 14, 2004 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 mid 2nd day results... Nazaryan, Armen - Judo is out. won Alexandre Lee from Brazil in the round of 32. lost to Masoud Haji Akhondzade of Iran in the round of 16. Bakhtamyan, Norayr - Shooting shared the 6th place with three others in the qualification round of 10m air pistol competition. we'll see how he'll do in the finals later today. but it's 4am here and i can't stay up anymore... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOTH Posted August 14, 2004 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 Perhaps somewhat tagental (non-Armenian related) - but kudos to Greece for pulling it off....job well done it seems... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpa Posted August 14, 2004 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 Perhaps somewhat tagental (non-Armenian related) - but kudos to Greece for pulling it off....job well done it seems... Cudos indeed! Note the spelling. Now we can rephrase that old adage; "When in rome..." to "When in Athens do as the Athenians do". I joined the parade of nations at the letter K and was taken aback when they announced Kambodia, Kameroon. Kroatia etc. Even China was among the Ks but I could not read fast enough to see why. Yes they do deserve a standing ovation for pulling it against all odds, finance and apathy being not the least of them. Did anyone see Team Armenia in the parade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 "When in Athens do as the Athenians do". Arpa jan, they do it realy nasty. Don't even try to repeat after them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nairi Posted August 14, 2004 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 Funny really that the Byzantine Empire and later were given just a few seconds compared to Classical Greece in the parade beginning with Eros and the lovers going to sea. The theatre was very good: must give credit where credit is due. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 The NBC commentator metioned the prince Varazdat story when they showd the Armenian team. Actually did guys see that big belly guy in the delegation. How could they ever let him on that stadium. I mean he looked anything but "olympic". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellthecat Posted August 14, 2004 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 Funny really that the Byzantine Empire and later were given just a few seconds compared to Classical Greece in the parade beginning with Eros and the lovers going to sea. The theatre was very good: must give credit where credit is due. Yes Nairi - the parade was rather well done. As for the Byzantine brevity, maybe they wanted to brush over the fact that it was the Christian Byzantine empire that stopped the original Olympic games because they were considered to be pagan. But there was a lot of brushing over of history in the parade - like the start of the politicisation of the games in the 1920s with the exclusion of Germany and Austria. There was a send up of the parade in a radio show today - it had a spoof commentary that went something like "and here now is the traditional scene where large wads of money are placed in the back pockets of Olympic Games officials, and next is ceremonial delivery to the athletes of their crates full of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellthecat Posted August 14, 2004 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 There was a send up of the parade in a radio show today Oh, in the same show, there was a section where the audience was asked which imaginary sport would guarantee a medal for certain people / countries. (David Blunkett - gold medal for knee-jerking, etc). Any suggestions? I wonder - Armenia: gold, silver, and bronze for mutual back-stabbing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DominO123 Posted August 15, 2004 Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 (edited) From a reliable source, I have the information that the majority of the Armenian athletes were not present during the olympic ceremonies and that many will come in the comming days. Edited August 15, 2004 by Fadix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 Do you know why? I read on Iravunq paper w-site that the budget for the team has been the lower that in 1996 and 2000. And also Ishkhan Zaqarian, the Armenia NOC chairman said that they could take more athlets like the Azeries and Georgians, using some procedure of IOC but prefered to take only those who have chances to win medals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigil Posted August 15, 2004 Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 OLYMPIC TRADITION The last recorded champion of the ancient Olympics was Prince Varastades, who won the boxing competition at the 291st Olympic Games (approx. 388 A.D.) before becoming king of Armenia. In modern times, Armenia represented the Soviet Union through the 1988 Games and then the Unified Team in 1992. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognized Armenia as a member in 1993, and 32 athletes competed for the nation in 1996. Found this on the NBC bio on Armenia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigil Posted August 15, 2004 Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 Arpa, any information on Ancient Armenian atheletes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 (edited) Updated: Armenians in other teams -------------------------------------------------- Varderes Samourgashev - Russia - Wrestling Vanes Martirossian - USA - Boxing Armen Nazarian - Bulgaria - Wrestling Karina Aznavourian - Russia - Fencing David Poghosian - Georgia - Wrestling Armen Vardanian - Ukraine - Wrestling Ara Abrahamian - Sweden - Wrestling Artur Aivazian - Ukraine - Shooting Sergo Chakhoyan - Ausralian - Weightlifting Margarita Mkrtchian - Russia - Tae kwon do Artiom Kiouregkian - Greece - Wrestling Artur Gevorgjan - Germany - Shooting Edited August 15, 2004 by ArmenSarg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 Geelong Advertiser (Regional Daily), Australia August 13, 2004 Friday Gold medal would lift weight off Olympic team's mind EVEN a gold medal at the Olympics can only be considered a minor salvage job on the wreckage that is Australian weightlifting. Sergo Chakhoyan will head to Greece as the world No.1 rated lifter in the 85kg class. He is expected to vie with the host nation's triple gold medallist, Pyrros Dimas, for top honours in Athens. Ultimately, though, anything Chakhoyan achieves will be undermined by the drug scandals and selection debacle that has battered the sport in the lead-up to the Games. Weightlifting has long had more than its share of doping problems -- exemplified by the 11 positive tests at the 2003 world titles -- but Australia had remained relatively clean. Until 2004. It started with two peripheral squad members, Seen Lee and Anthony Martin, receiving two-year bans for steroid use. Much worse was to come, though, as it was revealed Australia's sole women's representative, Caroline Pileggi, refused to take a drug test while training in Fiji. Pileggi, too, was given a two-year ban, which she unsuccessfully appealed, and was replaced in the team by Deborah Lovely. Meanwhile, questions had been raised about Chakhoyan -- who'd already served a two-year ban for steroid use in 2001 -- after the Australian Olympic Committee could not locate the lifter for three-and-a-half months while he was training in Armenia. However, a test in Armenia three months before the Games was negative. And against the backdrop of the drugs controversy was a poor world championship campaign and the debacle of the Oceania qualifiers, where Australian weightlifting officials sent an understrength team and then lost a qualifying spot to the tiny nation of Nauru. Chakhoyan can't turn things round for the sport but he can win gold. Fifth at the Sydney Olympics, Chakhoyan won gold and bronze at last year's world titles in Vancouver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 San Francisco Chronicle, CA Aug 14 2004 Flame lights a Greek revival John Crumpacker, Chronicle Staff Writer .....The parade of athletes is always a highlight for its very definition of human diversity. Attire ranged from ghastly Ward Cleaver-like gray suits for the men of Armenia to genuine leopard-skin loincloths for the men of Burundi. The women of Moldova wore silky pink slacks and pink halter tops above bare midriffs. ................ While Armenia was noticeable for its drab suits, easily the worst fashion statement of the evening was turned in by the athletes of Kyrgyzstan, who wore hats that can only be described as demented stovepipe Tyroleans, like the Swiss wear only much taller.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 Xinhua Online 2004-08-14 20:12:50 Results of men's 10m air pistol finals ATHENS, Aug. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Following are the results of men's 10m air pistol finals at the Athens Olympic Games here on Saturday: 1. Wang Yifu, China, 690.0 points 2. Mikhail Nestruev, Russia, 689.8 3. Vladimir Isakov, Russia, 684.3 4. Tanyu Kiriakov, Bulgaria, 683.4 5. Jin Jong Oh, South Korea, 682.9 6. Kim Hyon Ung, DPR Korea, 682.0 7. Norayr Bakhtamyan, Armenia, 681.9 8. Kim Jong Su, DPR Korea, 681.2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harut Posted August 15, 2004 Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 Do you know why? I read on Iravunq paper w-site that the budget for the team has been the lower that in 1996 and 2000. And also Ishkhan Zaqarian, the Armenia NOC chairman said that they could take more athlets like the Azeries and Georgians, using some procedure of IOC but prefered to take only those who have chances to win medals. and i thought the important thing was the participation and not the winning... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellthecat Posted August 15, 2004 Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 genuine leopard-skin loincloths for the men of Burundi. .... I hope not And if that is true then how did they get them through EU customs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellthecat Posted August 15, 2004 Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 And were the Americans dressed in their new national costume of boots, kahki trousers, flak jackets, and steel helmets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 Men's 64-69kg - Round of 32 bout 1 - 15.08.04 Match: 1 Vanes Martirosyan (USA) beat Benamar Meskine (Alg) (Points: 45-20) ------------------------------------------ He won with highest points in his category but I can't understand weather Vanes was so good or Benamar was so bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 Judo Equestrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 And were the Americans dressed in their new national costume of boots, kahki trousers, flak jackets, and steel helmets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 and i thought the important thing was the participation and not the winning... Not the Olympics Harut jan. The Olympic thing is all about the Champ! When the champs are determined then in the end they make this false celebration of the losers to calm them down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted August 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2004 (edited) Updated: Armenians in other teams -------------------------------------------------- Varderes Samourgashev - Russia - Wrestling Vanes Martirossian - USA - Boxing Armen Nazarian - Bulgaria - Wrestling Karina Aznavourian - Russia - Fencing David Poghosian - Georgia - Wrestling Armen Vardanian - Ukraine - Wrestling Ara Abrahamian - Sweden - Wrestling Artur Aivazian - Ukraine - Shooting Sergo Chakhoyan - Ausralian - Weightlifting Margarita Mkrtchian - Russia - Tae kwon do Artiom Kiouregkian - Greece - Wrestling Artur Gevorgjan - Germany - Shooting Mkhitar Manukian - Kazakhstan -Wrestling Edited August 16, 2004 by ArmenSarg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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