30/07/2013 18:20
Gymnast Hrant Shahinian would have been 90 today
The famous Soviet-era gymnast, two-time Olympic Champion, two-time World Champion Hrant Shahinian would have been 90 years old today.
Hrant Shahinian was born on July 30, 1923 in the village of Gyulagarak. His family moved to Yerevan in 1930. In 1943 at the age of 20, Shahinian volunteered to fight in the front line in World War II and received a wounded leg during service. He had to walk with a stick afterward, but after undergoing treatment in 1946 and through much hard work, was able to become a member of the USSR Artistic Gymnastic National Team.
Specializing in the still rings and pommel horse, he was a two-time Olympic Champion, two-time World Champion and seven-time USSR Champion.
Shahinian has awarded the honors: Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR in 1952, Honored Coach of Armenia in 1961 and Honored Worker of Physical Culture and Sports of the Armenian SSR in 1966.
From 1967 to 1969, he headed the Sports Committee of the Armenian SSR and from 1969 to 1975 he was the Deputy Chairman of the Sports Committee.