By Grant Pakhtigian
FLArmenians Sports Contributor
August 10, 2012
As we are tuned into the Summer Games for this Fortnight in London 2012, our hopes for Armenia’s medalists run deep and wide. We are as wide as the Diaspora and deep as Armenia’s locals, it’s towns, villages and fertile soil in sporting history.
With our hopes for a showing like never before, twenty-five Armenian Olympians, with a slight caveat of not getting to be seen on TV at this year’s Opening Ceremonies, take their place and put their best foot forward every four years in this hallmark 30th Olympiad.
With the character and principals of fairness and truth, the games hold a distinct character led by International Olympic committee chief Jacques Rogge. On this 15th day of competition, we have some blips on the radar of medals from this little independent state.
Female Olympian Hripsime Khurshudyan was the first Armenian medalist in these games, and the first female athlete from Armenia to ever medal in any sport. In Weightlifting’s +75kg (super-heavy weight), she struck Bronze for her efforts.
She was soon followed by Arsen Julfalakyan in Greco-Roman Wrestling. He took the Silver medal by facing his last opponent Roman Vlasov of Russia in the +74 kg category. Meanwhile in the wrestling circle Arthur Aleksanyan took Bronze in the +96kg Greco-Roman category.
Mikayel Koloyan, who competed in the pool for the 100-meter freestyle, took away a mark of 53.82 and finished with a ranking of 8. Along with fellow swimmers, 18-year-old Anahit Barseghyan finished just out of the medal race, landing in 4th in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:08:19.
The U.S. won Gold in Water Polo under Armenian-American Team USA Head Coach Adam Krikorian, with his fearless assistants not far behind. The final jump in the pool for all those on deck after victory were awash in their congratulatory baptismal dip in the pool. Adam Krikorian is the Women’s Water Polo Head Coach at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
While another Armenian-American, Arthur Akopyan, personal coach for U.S. gymnast McKayla Maroney, watched his pupil win Silver in the individual Vault competition.
Several Armenian athletes have yet to finish their events. They include 26-year-old Arman Yeremyan in Tae Kwon Do, and 27-year-old Mihran Jaburyan in +55kg Freestyle Wrestling. Armenia has garnered a total of three medals thus far.
The medal count represents two Bronze, one for Weightlifting, one for Wrestling, and one Silver for free style Wrestling.
Armen Nazaryan who competes in Judo scored a win moving through the draw but was stopped by fellow challenger Pawel Zagrodnik of Poland.
Kristine Harutyunyan, 21, competes in the Javelin throw. Her first mark was 47.65 feet, and she is from Gyumri. Olympian Tigran Martirosyan, also from Gyumri is 24 years old and competes in the +77 kg Weightlifting discipline.
Andranik Hagopian of Etchmiadzin competes as a middleweight boxer and won his round of 32 versus Terrell Gausha of the United States. Vardan Pahlevanyan won his qualifying event in men’s long jump.
For 2012, most Armenian competitors are just becoming young adults and we look forward in the coming years to more brilliant performances based from talented, supported, creative and youthful hopefuls.
Grant Pakhtigian is a sports writer for print and online sports publications. He received his Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting from St. Thomas University in Miami and resides in West Palm Beach, Florida.
By Janna Mosinyan
FLArmenians Guest Contributor
Jacksonville, FL – The community here has grown to the point that, last year, our mission parish purchased a new property, which will serve as the epicenter of the Armenian-American community of Jacksonville. The new parish location will play an important role in the development of our community. It will be a place where local Armenians will be able to come together for worship, celebrations, and cultural and social events. This will enable the dream of Armenians living in northern Florida to manage their own institution, plan for bible studies, Sunday school and more, to become reality. The Jacksonville community has been working together to reform the building, as construction work takes place every Sunday with the help of dedicated community leaders. While church construction is in progress, the Armenian community of Jacksonville, Florida gathers each month for the monthly “Badarak,” or Divine Liturgy. The women’s choir is performing with the participation of Janna Mosinyan, Elen Mosinyan, Olivia Arslanian, Silva Baboyan, and male members Rafael Grigoryan, Aleksandr Shafiyev, Nicolas Yedigarov and Erik Mirzoyev are all active participants of the service as well.
Rev. Fr. Tateos Abdalian with Young Jacksonville Armenians
This summer has been especially productive for the young members of our community. Aleksandr Shafiyev recently represented the Armenian Community of Jacksonville on his pilgrimage to the Holly Land. Shafiyev was excited to discover that out of all the Christian nations, Armenians are one of two that have a special quarter in Jerusalem to practice their religion. “Now, that I have had an up-close experience of the Armenian traditions, I am eager to go back to my roots,” said Shafiyev. Hearing an Armenian who has never been to Armenia talk about his heritage with such a great pride is a delightful feeling. On July 11, 2012, The Eastern Diocese announced the recipients of the Diocesan Academic Scholarship for 2012-13. The Armenian community of Jacksonville is proud to announce that two of our students, Rafael Gregoryan and Erik Mirzoyev, have earned the scholarship by committing tremendous time and dedication to our community. Since 2008, I have been an active member of the Armenian-American community of Jacksonville, and it is evident that our local parish has been crucial for the success and development of young Armenians here. As an Armenian who arrived to United States only four years ago, I have found a little Armenia, here in north Florida, thousands of miles away from home.
Janna Mosinyan is an active member of the Jacksonville Armenian-American community, and sings in the parish choir. She is currently studying Political Science at the University of North Florida.
Florida Armenians 