Komsomolets (Armenia). May 1, 1982. In Armenia, gymnastics is deeply cherished and well understood. A passion for this sport was instilled in the public primarily by Grant Shaginyan and Albert Azaryan. For many years, they competed with brilliance at events of every caliber, bringing fame to both their country and their republic. The baton of victory was subsequently taken up by Albert Aznavuryan, followed by the successful performances of brothers Eduard and Ruben Mikaelyan. These gymnastic talents were nurtured in the schools led by G. Shaginyan and A. Azaryan.
The most brilliant among them are Eduard Azaryan and Artur Akopyan. Today, we tell the story of Artur Akopyan - a native of Yerevan, a Merited Master of Sports, and a two-time world champion in the team competition.
Start
Zhanna and Artur are twins. To be precise, the sister is ten minutes older than her brother. They attended the E. Charents Secondary School and shared a desk. Naturally - as you can well imagine - they strove never to fall behind one another in anything.
When they were eight years old, something unexpected happened - or rather, it was unexpected for Artur. Zhanna was accepted into the gymnastics program, while he was rejected. At best, his only option was to join his father in picking his sister up after her latest training session. But fortune smiled upon the boy. One fine day - a day he would never forget - Coach Genrikh Vanetsyan gave him permission to attend the training sessions.
Vanetsyan was thirty years old at the time, and his coaching experience was limited. Yet he was deeply concerned with upholding the integrity of his profession: notably, he never divided his students into the talented and the untalented; rather, he strove to mold each of them, above all else, into a decent human being. He also grasped the most fundamental truth: there would be no overnight results - haste is cruelly punished, and success requires time.
It was this man who was destined to introduce Artur to the world of gymnastics.
Genrikh Vanetsyan: "Did Artur initially possess any exceptional natural gifts? No. Unless - well, let's put it this way - I envisioned the potential of his physique. Then, after a year of training, he acquired a sense of confidence and learned to distinguish the beautiful from the mediocre. In gymnastics, that is extremely important."
Artur Akopyan: "So, what stands out in my memory? Everything, of course. The most important thing is that there were no 'routine workouts.' I approached every single session as if it were a celebration - and for that, I owe my coach. And, of course, I was fully aware that the ultimate celebration was drawing near - the 'celebration of the big competition.'"
Indeed, that blue-eyed, sturdy young fellow - Artur Akopyan - proved to be patient and rational beyond his years. He knew exactly what he wanted to achieve and how to go about it - what suited him best. Without any undue haste, he worked his way through the entire system of competitive ranks. In 1974, at the Armenian Championship for First-Class gymnasts, he took second place; just a year later, he emerged as the winner among the Candidates for Master of Sport.
Coaches of the national youth team first took notice of Artur Akopyan during the All-Union Schoolchildren's Spartakiad held in Lvov in 1976. Competing in the First-Class program, Artur emerged as the champion. A few months later, after distinguishing himself once again at the All-Union Youth Sports Games, he was inducted into the national team roster. Artur subsequently traveled abroad for the first time - visiting Poland, the Netherlands, and the GDR.
In short, everything was proceeding smoothly - exactly as Vanetsyan had planned. But the most crucial challenge still lay ahead: to clear, without faltering, the formidable barrier separating the junior ranks from the senior level. Many athletes have failed to do so. Our renowned diver, David Ambartsumyan (incidentally, a close friend of Artur's), nearly bade farewell to competitive sports at this very critical juncture.
Artur, too, had grown. He could no longer be described as short - his height was approaching 170 centimeters. And he had already tasted success. He possessed an extraordinary knack for establishing a rapport with the audience - a skill that, for most, takes years to cultivate. Akopyan's athletic record for 1978 contains no high-ranking finishes (with the sole exception of the national youth championships). In fact, he competed very little; he set aside his ego and forced himself to accept whatever place he might occupy in the competitive standings. Yet, in doing so, he became a world-class gymnast.
"The Festival of the Great Competition"
Eduard Azaryan was the leader of the Armenian team at the VII Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR. It was, truly, his finest hour. Elegant and tall, he captivated both the spectators and the judges with his incredibly complex program. Through an immense effort - and only after the final event of the optional program - Alexander Dityatin finally managed to catch up with Azaryan. Both men were crowned overall champions of the Spartakiad.
And what of Artur? The Spartakiad marked something of a debut for him - it was his first time competing among adults. He made a significant contribution to the success of the republic's team, which finished in sixth place. As is well known, the national championship was held as part of the Spartakiad program. And in that championship, Artur finished behind only E. Azaryan, A. Dityatin, N. Andrianov, A. Tkachev, and V. Makuts. In short - behind the stars.
Artur Akopyan: "About two months after the Spartakiad, I traveled to England with the national team for a series of exhibition performances. Generally speaking, I've always enjoyed these kinds of 'competitions.' You can take bold risks - after all, no scores are being awarded. On the other hand, that risk must be justified; one cannot forget about the audience. This is especially true in England, where - following the tremendous success of Olga Korbut - fans still hold all gymnasts to extremely high standards. We gave it our all - both for their sake and for our own. In any case, everyone was pleased. I think the coaches made the final decision to include me in the starting lineup precisely after our trip to England."
'The table setters' - that is what they call the gymnasts who open a team performance. They have a tough time of it. It has simply become the custom for judges to evaluate their routines quite strictly - perhaps saving, as it were, the high scores for the team leaders.
On the plane, during our gymnasts' flight to the American city of Fort Worth for the World Championships, the team captain, Nikolai Andrianov, sat down next to Artur.
"By the looks of it, you'll be the 'point man', Artur," he began.
"I understand. I am the youngest, after all."
"Don't get discouraged; I was one myself back in the day. And Shakhlin - he's 'iron,'" he continued. "Tell me, Artur, what makes a 'team player'?"
"Kolya, what do you take me for? Do you really think I don't know?"
"But still?"
"Alright, then. A team player gives it his absolute all - even when he knows he won't finish first."
Our team began the compulsory program on the parallel bars - a treacherous apparatus. As gymnasts say, it is 'the most conservative' of them all. Artur's score came in at a mere 9.3. With scores like that, there was no hope of beating the Japanese. 'So much for being a team player,' the athlete thought bitterly, not knowing where to hide his face in shame. Leonid Arkaev, the national team's head coach, approached him. "It's all right. Stay calm. Get ready for the high bar." Artur has a particular fondness for this apparatus. But would he be able to master his own nerves? Yes. There was, admittedly, a mistake - but he covered it up with ease and artistry. 9.85. Now *that* was more like it. Next came the pommel horse. He executed his routine with precise emphasis. 9.75. Everything had fallen into place. Artur was overcome by a sense of absolute liberation...
And soon, our team was being congratulated on its success. Andrianov, Dityatin, Tkachev, Markelov, Makuts, and Akopyan managed to finish four (!) points ahead of the hitherto invincible Japanese - securing first place.
And then the USSR national team consolidated its lead by defeating the Japanese at the 1980 Olympics [sic]. There was one change to the lineup: Edik Azaryan competed in place of Artur.
Could Artur have gone to the Olympics? Yes - there can be no two ways about it. He had been training for the Olympic competitions right up until the very last moment. The roster for the women's national team had been announced, and team coaches in other sports had already selected their participanet. Leonid Arkaev, however, was in no hurry...
He values Artur, dubs him a 'crystal gymnast,' and places high hopes on him. Evidently, the athlete's youth played a significant role. The Olympic Games are held once every four years, and everyone deserving deserves the opportunity to compete; for Artur, the future is still wide open.
Aeronaut
A gymnast, striving to express himself, is capable of devising new elements; however, only the coach can give them a finished form.
G. Bandeyan: "After every major tournament, we return to the starting point. It is essential to constantly seek out the new - something that is just a step above yesterday's standard. One must never forget that the next competition will be even more difficult. The creation of an original routine is preceded by extensive preliminary preparation. We must identify those specific elements that best enable the athlete to showcase their individuality."
Artur showcased some of Vanetsyan's new elements at the 1981 USSR Cup. All-around, 5th place; vault, 1st place; high bar, 2nd place. As you can see, his collection now included medals not only for team successes.
And once again - the World Championship. Moscow. November 1981. Artur was included in the squad - unconditionally, as the saying goes.
And once again - the joy of victory over the Japanese. This time, by an even wider margin.
On the vault, his performance - a laid-out Tsukahara with a 720-degree twist - earned a score of 9.95. Artur was surpassed only by R. P. Hemmann from the GDR. On the high bar, his routine was nothing short of spectacular - featuring three release moves, including a never-before-seen combination: a Tkachev release followed in tempo (immediately) by a Delchev salto. He was awarded a perfect 10. People had already begun congratulating him on securing the championship title. Artur, however, kept his gaze fixed on the podium, where the final competitor of the final - A. Tkachev - was executing massive one-armed swings. He, too, scored a 10. He was the victor; his combined score was fractinoally higher.
Akopyan was the first to approach Tkachev - or rather, to run up to him. It was a firm, manly handshake.
During the championship, journalists referred to Artur as nothing other than 'the aeronaut.'
What is the 'Crystal Gymnast' - 'the Aeronaut' - like in real life? First and foremost, let's address the most important point: Artur is a modest and well-mannered individual. Moreover, his modesty is innate - something you notice immediately.
At the reporting and election conference of the Komsomol in the Myasnikyan District, Artur Akopyan - a student at the Institute of Physical Culture - was elected as a delegate to the 29th Congress of the LKSM of Armenia.
It was at that Congress that I met him. Truth be told, we didn't manage to have a conversation at the time. During every break, young fans would surround the gymnast in a tight ring - seeking autographs, asking questions, and offering well-wishes.
The next morning, he came to the gymnasium. I asked him about his impressions. "The Komsomol members have placed a great deal of trust in me," Artur said. "Will I be able to live up to it? Believe me - I have never been as nervous as I was during my speech before the delegates."
...Then he approached the horizontal bar. He was about to learn a new routine prepared by Vanetsyan. There was no one else in the gym yet...
M. ANDZHELYAN