Narek Mkrtchyan wins 2026 Junior Worlds silver (79 kg)
On May 5 in Ismailia, 19-year-old Narek Mkrtchyan won Junior World Championships silver in the 79 kg class with a 336 kg total. This is Armenia's first 'big' medal at the tournament.
Read more Weightlifting Federation of Armenia Strength and dedication
Strength and dedication
for the homeland
The present and history of Armenian weightlifters — from Montreal 1976 to Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.
11
Olympic medalists
3
Gold medals
9
World champions
4
National teams
Next major event
XXXIV Summer Olympic Games · Los Angeles 2028
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Latest news
2026 Junior Worlds, Day 3 — small gold and small silver for Armenia
On May 4 in Ismailia, Narek Grigoryan won small gold in the snatch, and Hovhannes Hovhannisyan small silver in the clean & jerk in the 71 kg class.
Read moreSchedule of Armenian athletes — 2026 Junior Worlds (Ismailia)
The 2026 Junior World Championships take place in Ismailia, Egypt on May 2-8. Ten Armenian athletes will compete across seven competition days.
Read moreNational team
Athletes in the spotlight
1976
First Olympic medal
11
Olympic medalists
24
European champions
3
Training facilities
History
50 years of Armenian weightlifting
From Montreal 1976 to Los Angeles 2028 — the milestones that shape Armenian weightlifting.
Soviet era
1976
Montreal — first Olympic medal
Vardan Militosyan claims Armenia's first-ever Olympic silver in the 75 kg class.
Read more →1980
Moscow — Vardanyan's gold
Yurik Vardanyan becomes Armenia's first Olympic Champion in weightlifting. Set 41 world records over his career.
Read more →1983
Moscow — Mirzoyan's double crown
Oksen Mirzoyan wins both World and European Championships in 56 kg, setting new world records along the way.
Read more →1988
Seoul — two medalists
Oksen Mirzoyan wins Olympic gold (56 kg) and Israel Militosyan takes silver (67.5 kg).
1992
Barcelona — Militosyan's gold
Israel Militosyan takes Olympic gold in 67.5 kg. To this day, Armenia's most recent Olympic gold in weightlifting.
Read more →Independence era
2000
Sydney — first medal for independent Armenia
Arsen Melikyan wins bronze in 77 kg — opening a new chapter for independent Armenia.
Read more →2007
First female successes
Mel Daluzyan and Hripsime Khurshudyan win European Championship titles.
2008
Beijing — double medal
Tigran V. Martirosyan takes silver (85 kg), Gevorg Davtyan bronze (77 kg).
2009
Avdalyan — first female World Champion
Nazik Avdalyan wins World Championship gold in 69 kg — Armenia's first female World Champion.
Read more →2010
Martirosyan — first male World gold
Tigran G. Martirosyan wins World gold in Antalya. First male World Champion of independent Armenia.
Read more →Modern era
2016
Rio — double silver
Simon Martirosyan (105 kg) and Gor Minasyan (+105 kg) bring home two Olympic silver medals.
2019
Mkrtchyan's double crown
Hakob Mkrtchyan wins both World and European Championship gold in 89 kg.
Read more →2021
Tokyo — Martirosyan's second silver
Simon Martirosyan claims his second Olympic silver (109 kg).
Read more →2023
Yerevan — strong European Championships
On home soil, Gor Sahakyan, Garik Karapetyan, Samvel Gasparyan and Davit Hovhannisyan all win European gold.
2024
Paris — Lalayan's silver
Varazdat Lalayan wins Olympic silver (+102 kg) and adds World + European titles in the same year.
Read more →2026
Batumi — Armenia tops the medal table
9 gold, 8 silver, 7 bronze at the European Championships. Lalayan, Karapetyan, Poghosyan all win.
Coming up
2027
Yerevan — World Championships
Armenia hosts the World Championships — a key LA-2028 qualifying event.
2028
Los Angeles — XXXIV Olympics
The next Summer Olympics — July 14–30, 2028.
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