1954 and 1958 World R Champion
1955 European R and PB Champion
1956 and 1960 Olympic R Champion

Known as the "king of the rings," Albert Azaryan was born in 1928.  His father died when Albert was 14, so he left school and got a job as an ironsmith to support his family.  When he was 17, a group of top Armenian gymnasts gave an exhibition in his town.  After the exhibition, some teenage boys -- Albert among them -- climbed on the apparatus and tried to perform the skills they had just seen.  Albert was so impressive that he was invited to move to Yerevan to train.  After only three years, he became the Armenian champion on rings and earned a Master of Sport ranking.   Albert became the director of a sports school in Yerevan after retiring.  Although neither of his two daughters followed in their father's footsteps, his son, Eduard, also became a successful international gymnast.  Albert carried the Armenian flag at the Athens Games' opening ceremonies. 

Competition Results

1952
USSR Championships:  11th AA, 2nd R, 5th HB

1953
USSR Championships:  5th AA

1954
Summer World College Championships: 1st Team, 4th AA, 1st R, 2nd PB, 5th PH
USSR Championships:  5th AA
World Championships:  1st Team, 4th AA, 1st R, 4th V

1955
European Championships:  2nd AA, 1st R, 1st PB
USSR Championships:  114th AA
World Festival of Youth and Students: 1st Team, 2nd AA

1956
Olympics:  1st Team, 7th AA, 1st R, 1st PB
USSR Championships:  7th AA

1957
Moscow Summer Sports Games: 1st Team, 3rd AA
USSR Championships:  8th AA

1958
USSR Championships:  10th AA
World Championships:  1st Team, 7th AA, 1st R, 2nd HB, 6th PH

1959
USSR Championships:  4th AA

1960
Olympics:  2nd Team, 11th AA, 1st R
USSR Championships:  13th AA

1962
USSR Championships:  14th AA

1964
USSR Championships:  13th AA

1965
USSR Championships:  3rd R

This page was created on December 17, 2000 and was last updated on November 5, 2024.  
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