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ARMENIAN CYCLING SENSATION
http://asbarez.com/118180/armenian-cycling-sensation/
Thursday, January 9th, 2014
Focused on bringing a medal home to Armenia, Hovhanisyan at the
International Tour de Mazandaran in Iran
BY ANAHID YEREMIAN
YEREVAN-Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, a 19 year-old Armenian cycler has won
medals in every international competition of his age group that he has
participates in. Born and raised in Yerevan, Armenia, Hovhannisyan
trains with master trainers Albert Soloyan and Armen Gyozalian at
the Olympic Cycling School in Yerevan.
I first met Hovik, as his friends call him, and his fellow cyclists
when they joined the final few miles of our bike-a-thon in Armenia
to raise awareness and funds for the scientists of the Cosmic Ray
Division of Yerevan Physics Institute. Until then, I had no idea
that a cycling school even existed in Armenia, let alone that they
produced internationally recognized champions.
Hovhannisyan is a quiet and humble person, but when he gets on his
bike, it's the eye of the tiger. I had the privilege of watching him
and other Armenian cyclists race at the velodrome in Yerevan in the
All-Armenia races in June of 2013. There were many different kinds of
races collectively called an Omnium: individual races of different
lengths, team races, junior races, senior races, and one really
interesting one called the elimination race. In the elimination race,
just about every cyclist in the competition gets on the track and
after the first round around the track the competition starts. The
last person in the pack gets eliminated every two rounds. Last man
still riding wins the race. In principle the last man will have
ridden about 60 to 80 rounds depending on the number of the original
competitors. So there are many different kinds of races and different
athletes participate in different ones. Winners from the All Armenia
races then represent Armenia in various international competitions.
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan on the first place podium at the International
Friendship Races in Donetsk, Ukraine.
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan's collection of accomplishments include:
first place at the European Track Championships in Anadia Portugal,
July 2013; second place at the Warsaw Grand Prix, Poland, June
2013; three first place medal at the All Armenia Races, June 2013;
first place at the Freedom Fighter Samvel Gevorgyan Memorial Race,
Armenia, June 2013; second and third places at the Cup of Poland,
May 2013; third place at the International Tour de Mazandaran race in
Iran, September 2013 and second place in 2012; second place at the
International Friendship Races in Donetsk, Ukraine, September 2011;
and second place at the European Olympic Festival, Trabzon Turkey,
July 2011.
Hovhanisyan also participated in the senior competitions in the Cup
of Russia international races in Saint Petersburg this summer, where
he competed against athletes several years older than him and took
an impressive 8th place out of 300 participants.
The Armenian Olympic Cycling School is home to some 230 athletes from
the ages of 10 to 30 who take the sport of cycling seriously. Its
founder, Mr. Albert Soloyan, is an internationally respected trainer
who has trained champions in Soviet Armenia and later in Hong Kong,
Malaysia, and Iran. In 2008 he returned home to Armenia to found
the Armenian Olympic Cycling School and is training champions in his
homeland. He, his capable staff, and hard-working talented athletes
have revived the sport of cycling in Armenia with very limited
resources. Not only have they revived it, they have caused Armenia
to excel in it. Mr. Soloyan, the coaching staff, the team doctor,
the team mechanic, and the administrative staff treat the athletes
as their own. Besides training them as cyclists, they mentor them in
life-skills. This school is another of the hidden gems in Armenia that
deserves to be revealed to the world and supported by the Armenian
government and by philanthropists in Armenia and the Diaspora.
http://asbarez.com/118180/armenian-cycling-sensation/
Thursday, January 9th, 2014
Focused on bringing a medal home to Armenia, Hovhanisyan at the
International Tour de Mazandaran in Iran
BY ANAHID YEREMIAN
YEREVAN-Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, a 19 year-old Armenian cycler has won
medals in every international competition of his age group that he has
participates in. Born and raised in Yerevan, Armenia, Hovhannisyan
trains with master trainers Albert Soloyan and Armen Gyozalian at
the Olympic Cycling School in Yerevan.
I first met Hovik, as his friends call him, and his fellow cyclists
when they joined the final few miles of our bike-a-thon in Armenia
to raise awareness and funds for the scientists of the Cosmic Ray
Division of Yerevan Physics Institute. Until then, I had no idea
that a cycling school even existed in Armenia, let alone that they
produced internationally recognized champions.
Hovhannisyan is a quiet and humble person, but when he gets on his
bike, it's the eye of the tiger. I had the privilege of watching him
and other Armenian cyclists race at the velodrome in Yerevan in the
All-Armenia races in June of 2013. There were many different kinds of
races collectively called an Omnium: individual races of different
lengths, team races, junior races, senior races, and one really
interesting one called the elimination race. In the elimination race,
just about every cyclist in the competition gets on the track and
after the first round around the track the competition starts. The
last person in the pack gets eliminated every two rounds. Last man
still riding wins the race. In principle the last man will have
ridden about 60 to 80 rounds depending on the number of the original
competitors. So there are many different kinds of races and different
athletes participate in different ones. Winners from the All Armenia
races then represent Armenia in various international competitions.
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan on the first place podium at the International
Friendship Races in Donetsk, Ukraine.
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan's collection of accomplishments include:
first place at the European Track Championships in Anadia Portugal,
July 2013; second place at the Warsaw Grand Prix, Poland, June
2013; three first place medal at the All Armenia Races, June 2013;
first place at the Freedom Fighter Samvel Gevorgyan Memorial Race,
Armenia, June 2013; second and third places at the Cup of Poland,
May 2013; third place at the International Tour de Mazandaran race in
Iran, September 2013 and second place in 2012; second place at the
International Friendship Races in Donetsk, Ukraine, September 2011;
and second place at the European Olympic Festival, Trabzon Turkey,
July 2011.
Hovhanisyan also participated in the senior competitions in the Cup
of Russia international races in Saint Petersburg this summer, where
he competed against athletes several years older than him and took
an impressive 8th place out of 300 participants.
The Armenian Olympic Cycling School is home to some 230 athletes from
the ages of 10 to 30 who take the sport of cycling seriously. Its
founder, Mr. Albert Soloyan, is an internationally respected trainer
who has trained champions in Soviet Armenia and later in Hong Kong,
Malaysia, and Iran. In 2008 he returned home to Armenia to found
the Armenian Olympic Cycling School and is training champions in his
homeland. He, his capable staff, and hard-working talented athletes
have revived the sport of cycling in Armenia with very limited
resources. Not only have they revived it, they have caused Armenia
to excel in it. Mr. Soloyan, the coaching staff, the team doctor,
the team mechanic, and the administrative staff treat the athletes
as their own. Besides training them as cyclists, they mentor them in
life-skills. This school is another of the hidden gems in Armenia that
deserves to be revealed to the world and supported by the Armenian
government and by philanthropists in Armenia and the Diaspora.