Sochi

[Haykakan]

Re: Threats to Sochi Winter Olympics

Azeris have started firing at the Tavush border.

[Haykakan]

Re: Sochi

Hi ara where you been all this time? Was watching women's figure skating and that 15 year old Russian girl stole the show in what was a competitive event. The level of competition has been very high in pretty much every event i have seen so far. Snowboarding was fun to watch to. Since they dont show the competition till prime time ill be ice fishing till then

[ara87]

Re: Sochi

btw, I really think Armenia needs to focus on doing well in the olympics from now on, especially the winter as we have never won a winter medal before, while we almost always get at least one summer medal. Just go all USSR on the population and round up some kids and say "you 50 will be skiers, and you 50 will be figure skaters, swimmers, runners, weight lifters, etc" by the time they're teens/20's they'll be fit to compete. Hell I mean we have so many Armenian guys in the military and we never send any for the shooting events! there are shooting events in both olympics! Albeit much harder in the winter as you must shoot while skiing.

[ara87]

Re: Sochi

There's definitely mudslinging from Western journalists but I wish they'd concentrate their attacks more on the whitewashing of the city's Abkhaz and Circassian history rather than construction problems and lousy service from hotels and restaurants.

I would also like to learn about what Sochi's actual residents (rather than foreigners or outsiders) think about its status as host city.

I'm actually pretty sure that yahoo of all places (via associated press) had an article or a link to an article about the Circassians a few weeks ago.

Well it appears the whole world aired the opening ceremonies live except the USA I guess they were too busy destabilizing Ukraine. Hope to catch on delay tonight.

Ukraine is busy destabilizing Ukraine... As far as the delayed coverage, this is a problem every Olympics b/c of NBC who has outbid every network for the summer olympics since 1988 and the winter since 2002. They paid over 4 billion to have the rights to the next 4 olympics as well. Anytime the Olympics happen in a country with a vast time difference they delay the showings so ratings won't be affected, for instance had the opening ceremony aired live, it would have been shown at 10 in the morning or something rather than prime time.

Most Americans usually hate this, especially when it's an event everyone's interested in. During the last summer olympics for instance everyone was on about Michael Phelps and if he'd set anymore records and we had to wait to watch his events after we had already found out how he did online. NBC is just a terrible network, their coverage has been terrible their commentary sucks and they talk in all the wrong places. I seriously hope another network tries to outbid them for the olympic games post 2020.

[Mher]

Re: Sochi

https://www.google.com/search?q=armenia+olympics+2014&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb

Updates on Armenian athletes in Sochi
it seems like our first athlete is performing in less than 3 hours (2am pacific time)

[Mher]

Re: Sochi

Are the Hamshen Armenians in Sochi that came in 1860 Christians?
Was 1860 when then Hamshen Armenians were FORCED by the scum to become Muslim to save their lives?

No I believe the Hamshens were converted a few centuries earlier. These people were already Muslims

[Artashes]

Re: Sochi

Olympics open in Russia’s most Armenian city
Four Armenian athletes to take part in skiing competitions
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Friday February 07, 2014

Washington - The 22nd Winter Olympics got underway in Sochi, Russia, the first time an international event of this magnitude is being held in the Caucasus region and Armenia's neighborhood.

"As a Sochi native, I was very proud to watch an amazing display of history, elegance, and sportsmanship during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games," Sam Tatevosyan, now resident in Washington told the Armenian Reporter. "Sochi has undergone an unprecedented transformation over the last several years and many of its Armenian residents have contributed significantly to this historic occasion."
The Russian Glendale

The city of Sochi carries the distinction of having the largest proportion of ethnic Armenian population in Russia. Official estimates put the Armenian population of Sochi at between 50 and 70,000 out of the city's total population of 368,000.

By contrast, according to the 2010 U.S. census, Glendale's Armenian population numbers over 65,000 or more than one-third of the total population of under 200,000.

Sochi is of course much closer to Yerevan, just an hour and fiften-minute flight.

Like Glendale, Sochi is a relatively new city. A military fort was established in the 1830s and a resort began in 1900s. First Armenians began to settle in what soon became Sochi in the 1860s; they were mostly Hamshen Armenian refugees from Turkey. More arrived in the consequence of the Genocide and continued to arrive throughout the Soviet and post-Soviet period.

In the 1990s, the Sochi community saw the establishment of four Armenian Apostolic parishes and an Armenian Evangelical Church. There is also an Armenian Catholic community originally from Georgia.
A modest representation

As in previous winter games, Armenia dispatched a modest delegation of four skiers to compete this year's Olympics.

21-year-old Katya Galstyan, the country's only female representative, is from Armenia's traditional sports powerhouse, Gyumri. She will compete in cross-country skiing.

21-year-old Sergey Mikayelyan, who carried Armenia's flag at the games' opening ceremony, is the only athlete with past Olympic experience, having debuted at Vancouver. Born in Gorno-Altaysk, Russia is coached by his father Artur Mikayelyan and mother Alla Kapchikaeva (herself a 1988 Olympian). According to Mikayelyan's Olympic profile he is currently on leave from the Armenian army.

23-year-old Artur Yeghoyan, born in Armenia's northern town of Ashotsk, also trains with Artur Mikayelyan in cross-country skiing.

And 26-year-old alpine skier Arman Serebrakian has taken time off from medical school to follow in the footsteps of his little sister Ani-Matilda Serebrakian who represented Armenia in the 2010 Olympics. Serebrakians were born and raised in northern California, where their parents moved from Iran.
In the neighborhood

After initial indications it might boycott the games over the fallout from 2008 war, Georgia dispatched three skiers and one skater. Azerbaijan is also represented by four athletes, but just as in 2010, their entire representation comes from other countries: a skating couple from Russia and skiers from Austria and Italy. Turkey dispatched six athletes, four skiers and two skaters, and Iran - five skiers.

http://www.reporter.am/index.cfm?obj...0700155D008B1E

Are the Hamshen Armenians in Sochi that came in 1860 Christians?
Was 1860 when then Hamshen Armenians were FORCED by the scum to become Muslim to save their lives?

[Mher]

Re: Sochi

Olympics open in Russia’s most Armenian city
Four Armenian athletes to take part in skiing competitions
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Friday February 07, 2014

Washington - The 22nd Winter Olympics got underway in Sochi, Russia, the first time an international event of this magnitude is being held in the Caucasus region and Armenia's neighborhood.

"As a Sochi native, I was very proud to watch an amazing display of history, elegance, and sportsmanship during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games," Sam Tatevosyan, now resident in Washington told the Armenian Reporter. "Sochi has undergone an unprecedented transformation over the last several years and many of its Armenian residents have contributed significantly to this historic occasion."
The Russian Glendale

The city of Sochi carries the distinction of having the largest proportion of ethnic Armenian population in Russia. Official estimates put the Armenian population of Sochi at between 50 and 70,000 out of the city's total population of 368,000.

By contrast, according to the 2010 U.S. census, Glendale's Armenian population numbers over 65,000 or more than one-third of the total population of under 200,000.

Sochi is of course much closer to Yerevan, just an hour and fiften-minute flight.

Like Glendale, Sochi is a relatively new city. A military fort was established in the 1830s and a resort began in 1900s. First Armenians began to settle in what soon became Sochi in the 1860s; they were mostly Hamshen Armenian refugees from Turkey. More arrived in the consequence of the Genocide and continued to arrive throughout the Soviet and post-Soviet period.

In the 1990s, the Sochi community saw the establishment of four Armenian Apostolic parishes and an Armenian Evangelical Church. There is also an Armenian Catholic community originally from Georgia.
A modest representation

As in previous winter games, Armenia dispatched a modest delegation of four skiers to compete this year's Olympics.

21-year-old Katya Galstyan, the country's only female representative, is from Armenia's traditional sports powerhouse, Gyumri. She will compete in cross-country skiing.

21-year-old Sergey Mikayelyan, who carried Armenia's flag at the games' opening ceremony, is the only athlete with past Olympic experience, having debuted at Vancouver. Born in Gorno-Altaysk, Russia is coached by his father Artur Mikayelyan and mother Alla Kapchikaeva (herself a 1988 Olympian). According to Mikayelyan's Olympic profile he is currently on leave from the Armenian army.

23-year-old Artur Yeghoyan, born in Armenia's northern town of Ashotsk, also trains with Artur Mikayelyan in cross-country skiing.

And 26-year-old alpine skier Arman Serebrakian has taken time off from medical school to follow in the footsteps of his little sister Ani-Matilda Serebrakian who represented Armenia in the 2010 Olympics. Serebrakians were born and raised in northern California, where their parents moved from Iran.
In the neighborhood

After initial indications it might boycott the games over the fallout from 2008 war, Georgia dispatched three skiers and one skater. Azerbaijan is also represented by four athletes, but just as in 2010, their entire representation comes from other countries: a skating couple from Russia and skiers from Austria and Italy. Turkey dispatched six athletes, four skiers and two skaters, and Iran - five skiers.

http://www.reporter.am/index.cfm?objectid=2FAEA511-908D-11E3-8F0700155D008B1E

[Haykakan]

Re: Sochi

Lots of skiing going on today but i have not seen any of the Armenian athletes yet. The events have been very competitive so its fun to watch.

[Artashes]

Re: Sochi

Ave my tv to a gal who had 3strkes in a row & became bed ridden.
Never bothered getting another.
What events are we competing in? And do you think we really don't stand a chance?
With all our mountains, I'd think we'd have some ski slopes right?