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ianyan Magazine
July 28 2012
The Women of The South Caucasus Olympic Teams
Caucasus - By Liana Aghajanian on July 28, 2012 7:12 pm
Though the South Caucasus countries have been participating in the
Olympic games since 1952, it wasn't until the mid 90s that Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia sprung out to participate independently after
the fall of the Soviet Union. In honor of unprecedented female
representation in every single London 2012 participating team, here is
quick highlight of the women representing the South Caucasus at the
30th Olympic games.
Armenia
Hripsime Khurshudyan - Weightlifting - Khurshudyan (above) made
headlines last year after painfully dislocating her elbow during the
World Weightlifting Championships, which caused her to drop out.
Despite the injury, the 2010 Gold medal winner of the European U23
Championships retrained to represent Armenia in London 2012.
Anahit Barseghyan - Swimming - The youngest of the bunch representing
Armenia, Anahit lists reading and watching TV as her favorite
activities and belongs to the swimming club `Neptune Armenia.'
Meline Daluzyan - Weightlifting - Hailing from Gyumri, Daluzyan won a
bronze medal in the 2006 World Weightlifting Championships and took
home the winning titles in the 2007 and 2008 European Weightlifting
Championship.
Kristine Harutyunyan - Women's Javelin Throw - In 2010, Harutyunyan
set a national record during the Armenian Championships in Athletics,
according to the Armenian Athletic Federation.
Azerbaijan
Image via elespectador.com
Aliya Garayeva - Gymnastics - a 2011 World All-around bronze medalist
and accomplished rhythmic gymnast, Garayeva (above) traces roots from
her mother's side to the Tatar ethnic group, the majority of whom live
in the Russian Federation.
Layes Abdullayeva - Women's 5000m - Born in Ethiopia, Abdullayeva, a
long distance runner, placed first at the 2011 European U23
Championships in the 10,000 meter event and second at the 2009
European Junior Championships.
Irada Ashumova - Women's 10m Air Pistol/Women's 25m Air Pistol, The
oldest participating woman from the South Caucasus, Ashumova, 54, is
an accomplished shooter whose hobbies include `talking with her
grandsons,' according to her athlete profile on the London 2012
official site. Shooting is a family business - her husband acts as her
coach while her children have both competed in shooting competitions.
Kifayat Gasimova - Judo - Kasimova took home gold last year in the
2011 Judo Grand Prix competition which was held in Baku, securing the
win over China's Wang Hui.
Oksana Hatamkhanova - Swimming - Hatamkhanova competed for Azerbaijan
in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, though she failed to advance to the
semifinals.
Boyanka Kostova - Weightlifting - Nicknamed `Boby,' Kostova lists
music and movies as her interests and has an uncle, Plamen Zhelyazkov
who is a former world weightlifting champion. Bulgarian-born Kostova
was involved in an uproar this year when her and another Bulgarian
weightlifter switched to the Azerbaijani team after Baku agreed to pay
Bulgaria more than $500,000.
Georgia
Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images
Anna Tatishvili - Tatishvili (above) is the number one ranked tennis
player in Georgia. Having played tennis since she was 4-years-old, she
currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida and won the Singles competition
at the 2011 International Country Cuneo, a professional tennis
tournament played on outdoor clay courts.
Kristine Esebua - Archery - Esebua participated in both the 2004
Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics and is hoping to bring home
a medal for her native Georgia. An Olympic Profile video of her by
RFE/RL here.
Margalita Chakhnashvili - Tennis - The second-ranked tennis player in
Georgia after Tatishvili, Chakhnashvili has been given a wildcard to
represent her country in London. She has won 10 singles titles and 5
doubles titles on the International Tennis Federation circuit.
Maiko Gogoladze - Women's Long Jump - Gogoladze won first place
earlier this year at an international tournament in Bulgaria and will
compete against Britain's Shara Proctor.
Luba Golovina - Trampoline - Golovina gained the first license for a
Georgian sportsman in 2012 and previously participated in Beijing,
where she ranked 6th in the final round.
Nino Salukvadze - Women's 10m Air Pistol/Women's 25m Pistol - A
psychologist by day, Salukvadze lists embroidery and collecting small
glass figurines as hobbies.
http://www.ianyanmag.com/2012/07/28/the-women-of-the-south-caucasus-olympic-teams/
July 28 2012
The Women of The South Caucasus Olympic Teams
Caucasus - By Liana Aghajanian on July 28, 2012 7:12 pm
Though the South Caucasus countries have been participating in the
Olympic games since 1952, it wasn't until the mid 90s that Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia sprung out to participate independently after
the fall of the Soviet Union. In honor of unprecedented female
representation in every single London 2012 participating team, here is
quick highlight of the women representing the South Caucasus at the
30th Olympic games.
Armenia
Hripsime Khurshudyan - Weightlifting - Khurshudyan (above) made
headlines last year after painfully dislocating her elbow during the
World Weightlifting Championships, which caused her to drop out.
Despite the injury, the 2010 Gold medal winner of the European U23
Championships retrained to represent Armenia in London 2012.
Anahit Barseghyan - Swimming - The youngest of the bunch representing
Armenia, Anahit lists reading and watching TV as her favorite
activities and belongs to the swimming club `Neptune Armenia.'
Meline Daluzyan - Weightlifting - Hailing from Gyumri, Daluzyan won a
bronze medal in the 2006 World Weightlifting Championships and took
home the winning titles in the 2007 and 2008 European Weightlifting
Championship.
Kristine Harutyunyan - Women's Javelin Throw - In 2010, Harutyunyan
set a national record during the Armenian Championships in Athletics,
according to the Armenian Athletic Federation.
Azerbaijan
Image via elespectador.com
Aliya Garayeva - Gymnastics - a 2011 World All-around bronze medalist
and accomplished rhythmic gymnast, Garayeva (above) traces roots from
her mother's side to the Tatar ethnic group, the majority of whom live
in the Russian Federation.
Layes Abdullayeva - Women's 5000m - Born in Ethiopia, Abdullayeva, a
long distance runner, placed first at the 2011 European U23
Championships in the 10,000 meter event and second at the 2009
European Junior Championships.
Irada Ashumova - Women's 10m Air Pistol/Women's 25m Air Pistol, The
oldest participating woman from the South Caucasus, Ashumova, 54, is
an accomplished shooter whose hobbies include `talking with her
grandsons,' according to her athlete profile on the London 2012
official site. Shooting is a family business - her husband acts as her
coach while her children have both competed in shooting competitions.
Kifayat Gasimova - Judo - Kasimova took home gold last year in the
2011 Judo Grand Prix competition which was held in Baku, securing the
win over China's Wang Hui.
Oksana Hatamkhanova - Swimming - Hatamkhanova competed for Azerbaijan
in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, though she failed to advance to the
semifinals.
Boyanka Kostova - Weightlifting - Nicknamed `Boby,' Kostova lists
music and movies as her interests and has an uncle, Plamen Zhelyazkov
who is a former world weightlifting champion. Bulgarian-born Kostova
was involved in an uproar this year when her and another Bulgarian
weightlifter switched to the Azerbaijani team after Baku agreed to pay
Bulgaria more than $500,000.
Georgia
Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images
Anna Tatishvili - Tatishvili (above) is the number one ranked tennis
player in Georgia. Having played tennis since she was 4-years-old, she
currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida and won the Singles competition
at the 2011 International Country Cuneo, a professional tennis
tournament played on outdoor clay courts.
Kristine Esebua - Archery - Esebua participated in both the 2004
Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics and is hoping to bring home
a medal for her native Georgia. An Olympic Profile video of her by
RFE/RL here.
Margalita Chakhnashvili - Tennis - The second-ranked tennis player in
Georgia after Tatishvili, Chakhnashvili has been given a wildcard to
represent her country in London. She has won 10 singles titles and 5
doubles titles on the International Tennis Federation circuit.
Maiko Gogoladze - Women's Long Jump - Gogoladze won first place
earlier this year at an international tournament in Bulgaria and will
compete against Britain's Shara Proctor.
Luba Golovina - Trampoline - Golovina gained the first license for a
Georgian sportsman in 2012 and previously participated in Beijing,
where she ranked 6th in the final round.
Nino Salukvadze - Women's 10m Air Pistol/Women's 25m Pistol - A
psychologist by day, Salukvadze lists embroidery and collecting small
glass figurines as hobbies.
http://www.ianyanmag.com/2012/07/28/the-women-of-the-south-caucasus-olympic-teams/