Leisure
Sports
Disability sports in Armenia experienced
active development overv the last decade.
Since 1989 twenty summer and winter recreational
camps have been organized: more than 2000
people with disabilities had rest and worked
out in there. In 1992 Armenian sportsmen participated
in the open Alpine skiing championship of
Russia, and in 1993 – in the open ping-pong
championship of Russia.
Annually on May 28th, on the occasion of the
Independence Day of Armenia the wheelchair
marathon is held on the route Yerevan –
Echmiatsin.
In 1994 the National Paralympics Committee
of Armenia was established. It coordinates
the disability sports in the country. The
National Paralympics Committee is a member
of the International Paralympics Committee.
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Due to this Armenian sportsmen with disabilities
were granted with opportunity to participate
in the Paralympics and also in World Championships
and Championships of Europe on different sports.
The most developed disability sports in Armenia
are sailing, ping-pong, athletics, swimming,
powerlifting, basketball, archery and Alpine
skiing. In 1994 the first National Games, participated
by about 100 people with different disabilities,
were organized under the initiative of the “Pyunik”
Association for Disabled of Armenia and the
International Post-Trahma Rehabilitation Center.
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In
September 1994 a team of Armenian sportsmen
with disabilities participated in the World
Championship, and in August 1995 – in
the European Championship on Sailing, where
it gained the right of participation in the
Paralympics. In 1996, first in the history of
Armenia Armenian sportsmen with disabilities
participated in the Paralympics on two types
of sports: sailing and powerlifting, and won
8th and 4th places respectively. In 1998 Armenian
sportsmen participated in the winter Paralympics
in Nagano, in 2000 – in the summer Olympics
in Sydney, and in 2002 – in the winter
Paralympics in Salt-Lake-City, in 2004 –
in the Paralympics in Athens.
In 1996 an Armenian sportsman with disability
together with sportsmen from Georgia, Azerbaijan,
Russia and Norway climbed with his wheelchair
to the top of Kazbek (5047).
The Sports Rehabilitation project for mentally
retarded people was implemented in Kharberd.
Beginning from 1996 Armenian sportsmen with
disabilities participated in the international
marathons in Chicago, New-York and Los-Angeles.
Archers, swimmers and tennis players participated
in a number of championships of Europe and World.
Among the NGOs of Armenia, mostly «Pyunik»
(president – Hakob Abramyan, phone –
565607) and «Scarp» (president –
Ashot Mkrtchyan, phone - 350291) are engaged
in disability sports.
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