Armen Nazaryan
Olympic gold for Armenia, then again for Bulgaria
- Born
- March 9, 1974, Masis, Armenia
- Nationality
Armenia
Bulgaria- Height
- 162 cm (5′4″)
- Style
- Lift-and-turn finisher
- Weight
- 52 kg, 58 kg, 60 kg
- Active
- 1993–2008
- Status
- Retired · age 52
The medals
2 Olympic golds + 1 bronze; 3 world titles
The story
rmen Nazaryan won independent Armenia's first Olympic medal and first Olympic title at Atlanta 1996, winning all five bouts at 52 kg and beating reigning world champion Samvel Danielyan on the way. Feeling unappreciated at home, he took Bulgarian citizenship and moved up to 58 kg. In the Sydney 2000 final he was down 0–3 early against Kim In-sub, the bigger reigning world champion from South Korea, but once on top in par terre he lifted Kim overhead, turned him and finished by fall. He then moved up again to 60 kg, took Olympic bronze in 2004 and won world titles in 2002, 2003 and 2005. FILA named him wrestler of the year twice and inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2007. He later became head coach of Bulgaria's Greco-Roman team.
- Olympic champion (1996, 52 kg, Armenia; 2000, 58 kg, Bulgaria)
- Olympic bronze medallist, 60 kg (2004)
- World champion, 60 kg (2002, 2003, 2005)
- European champion 6 times (1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003)
- FILA Hall of Fame (2007)
- FILA Wrestler of the Year (1998, 2003)
- Armenian Athlete of the Year (1996)
- Bulgarian Coach of the Year, all sports (2013)
Defining matches
- 1996WINvs Samvel Danielyan (Olympic quarter-final, beat the reigning world champion)
- 1996WINvs Brandon Paulson (Olympic final; independent Armenia's first Olympic gold)
- 2000WINvs Kim In-sub (Olympic final, won by fall after an overhead lift)
- 2004LOSSvs Jung Ji-hyun (Olympic semi-final; took bronze)
Stay patient when you fall behind: Nazaryan trailed 0–3 in the Sydney final, earned the top position in par terre and won with a lift and turn. Drill your top-position lift so one good spell on top can erase a deficit.
1998–2012
1990–2000