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Artur Akopyan

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Artur Akopyan
Full nameArtur Akopyan
Born (1961-09-28) September 28, 1961 (age 63)
Yerevan, Soviet Armenia, USSR
HometownLos Angeles, U.S.
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Gymnastics career
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
Country represented United States
Years on national team1976-1985
Former countries represented Soviet Union
LevelSenior International Elite
ClubTrudoviye Reservi Club
GymAll Olympia Gymnastics Center (AOGC)
Head coach(es)Genrikh Vanisyan
Retired1985
Medal record
Men's artistic gymnastics
Representing the  Soviet Union
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1979 Fort Worth Team
Gold medal – first place 1981 Moscow Team
Gold medal – first place 1983 Budapest Vault
Silver medal – second place 1981 Moscow High-Bar
Silver medal – second place 1981 Moscow Vault
Silver medal – second place 1983 Budapest Team
Bronze medal – third place 1983 Budapest All-round

Artur Akopyan (Armenian: Արթուր Հակոբյան born September 28, 1961) is an Armenian-American gymnastics coach for the USA Gymnastics National Team and a former gymnast on the USSR Olympic Gymnastics Team. He is credited as the first athlete to do a Tsukahara double twist. Akopyan received three scores of 10 at the 1981 World Championships in Moscow. His competitive career included the 1983 World vault title, in addition to three other World individual medals.

Coaching career

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Akopyan previously coached 2012 Olympic champion McKayla Maroney. His past national team members include Mattie Larson and Samantha Shapiro. He served as a member of the national team coaching staff from 1989 to 2004. He coaches at All Olympia Gymnastics Center in Los Angeles, California.[1] Akopyan gained recognition in the United States after Bela Karolyi asked him to help gymnast Kim Zmeskal. Within a couple of days, Akopyan was able to help Zmeskal with elements of her compulsory routine that she had been working on for a year.[2][3][4][5]

Competitive history

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Year Event AA Team VT HB PH FX
1976 USSR Cup (junior) 1st
1977 USSR Championships (junior) 1st
Friendship Tournament 6th 1st
All-Union Youth Sports Games 1st
1978 USSR Championships (junior) 2nd
Friendship Tournament (junior) 4th 1st 2nd
1979 USSR Spartakiade 13th 5th
USSR Championships 6th 5th 4th
USSR-ROM Dual Meet 1st 1st
USSR-GDR Dual Meet 1st 1st
USSR Cup 1st 2nd 3rd 1st
Chunichi Cup 3rd
Tokyo Cup 1st 1st
1980 USSR Cup 6
Moscow News 3rd
1981 USSR Cup 11th 2nd
USSR Championships 5th 1st 2nd
University Games 3rd 5th 6th 7th
Milan Grand Prix 4th
World Championships 8th 1st 2nd 2nd
1983 USSR Spartakiade 3rd 1st
USSR Cup 2nd 1st 3rd
USSR Championships 5th 1st 4th 6th
USA-USSR Dual Meet 6th 1st
Dynamo Spartakiade 3rd
Riga International 1st 1st 1st
World Championships 3rd 2nd 1st
1985 USSR Cup 6th
USSR Championships 6th 8th

References

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  1. ^ "USA Gymnastics: Artur Akopyan". Archived from the original on October 14, 2013.
  2. ^ "USA Gymnastics: Artur Akopyan".
  3. ^ Zakharian, Lianna (Jan–Feb 2011). "Spotting the Champions". Yerevan Magazine. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  4. ^ "All Olympia Gymnastics Center: Staff". All Olympia Gymnastics Center. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  5. ^ "USA Gymnastics: McKayla Maroney". USA Gymnastics. Archived from the original on August 2, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
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