Janes Nazaryan has made history in Baku, becoming the first athlete representing Armenia to win a major international gold medal on Azerbaijani soil after claiming the U17 world title.
Nazaryan’s victory marks a landmark moment for Armenian sport, ending a wait for a top-of-the-podium finish by an Armenian representative at a major international competition held in Azerbaijan. Armenian athletes had previously reached the podium in Baku without taking gold. Yury Patrikeyev won bronze at the 2007 World Championship, and Mihran Harutyunyan claimed silver at the 2015 European Games. Other athletes with Armenian roots have also medalled in the Azerbaijani capital while competing under a different flag: Armenian-born gymnast Seda Tutkhalyan and Russian-Armenian wrestler Georgy Ketoev both won medals in Baku representing Russia. Nazaryan’s U17 world title therefore stands apart, both for its colour and for the flag he carried, adding a new chapter to the record of Armenian success in Azerbaijan.
Photo credit: @wikipedia