Armenia's boxing team has five Olympians for first time everJuly 12, 2016 - 11:27 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia's boxing team will have 5 participants in the 2016 Rio Olympics for the first time ever. Chief coach Karen Aghamalyan said such a result was surprising even for him. “To be honest, it was unexpected but, as they say, appetite comes with eating,” Armenia’s National Olympic Committee cited him as saying. “The guys did their best, and I am especially happy about [Hovhannes] Bachkov, who I was sure from the very beginning would qualify.” Bachkov (64kg) defeated Volodymyr Matviychuk from Ukraine at the APB/WSB Olympic Qualification Tournament in Venezuela to reach the finals and win an Olympic berth. In response to a question on whether it would be hard to fight against professionals who are also participating in the Olympics, Aghamalyan said: “I think professionals aren’t that good athletes. Bachkov’s victory is a vivid example. A number of world champions have failed to win Olympic medals on a number of occasions, so one needs sports luck to gain one." Photo` ANOC Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. |