Fifteen athletes will represent Armenia at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, with twelve of them realistically competing for medals (in some cases, under ideal circumstances). Two swimmers and one track and field athlete earned their spots through universality places and are not considered medal contenders.
The maximum number of medals Armenia could potentially win is 13, as gymnast Artur Davtyan could theoretically compete for medals not only in the vault but also in the pommel horse. This was once his specialty apparatus: he was the European champion in 2021 and bronze medalist in 2023 on the pommel horse. At the Tokyo Olympics, he placed 13th on the pommel horse and third in the vault. An element on the pommel horse is also named after him. However, his main focus will be on the vault, especially considering his recent injury.
Another Armenian gymnast, Vahe Davtyan, will attend his first Olympics at the age of 35. He has been steadily improving his performance on the rings each year and has perfected his routine. Vahe consistently performs well, but his difficulty score is relatively low, so his medal chances will also depend on the mistakes of other gymnasts. The main favorites are China's Liu Yang and Greece's Eleftherios Petrounias. At the last World Championships in 2023, Davtyan placed fourth on the rings, and he could compete for bronze and certainly make it to the finals.
Four Armenian wrestlers are considered among the top contenders in their weight categories: Artur Aleksanyan (97 kg, Greco-Roman), Malkhas Amoyan (77 kg, Greco-Roman), Arsen Harutyunyan (57 kg, freestyle), and Vazgen Tevanyan (65 kg, freestyle). However, Aleksanyan and Harutyunyan have the highest chances for gold, while Amoyan and Tevanyan face tougher competition in their weights, making the events more exciting. The fifth Armenian wrestler, Slavik Galstyan (67 kg, Greco-Roman), will also fight for medals. Although it's hard to assess his gold medal chances on paper, he certainly has a shot at bronze. The main favorites in his weight class are Cuba's Luis Orta Sanchez and Iran's Esmaeil Leivesi.
Weightlifter Varazdat Lalayan (+102 kg) has very strong medal chances and will surely compete for silver and bronze against Gor Minasyan, who represents Bahrain. The main gold contender is, of course, Georgia's Lasha Talakhadze. Lalayan's gold medal chances will depend on Talakhadze's physical condition, but Lalayan must also perform at his peak, as he did at his last tournament in Phuket.
Another Armenian weightlifter, Garik Karapetyan (102 kg), is also among the top favorites in his weight class, having ranked second in the Olympic standings after China's Li Huahua. Li is the clear favorite for gold with a qualifying total of 413 kg, while Karapetyan's 401 kg placed him second. The fight for silver will be intense, with six athletes posting totals between 398 kg and 401 kg. To secure silver, the 21-year-old Armenian will need to perform at his best, which we trust he will, as he has consistently improved at each tournament.
Andranik Karapetyan (89 kg) also has a chance for a medal, although it seems less likely. The Armenian weightlifter, who suffered a severe elbow injury at the 2016 Olympics, will compete again. He placed eighth in the qualifiers with a total of 377 kg. While he may not match Bulgaria's prodigy Carlos Nassar (396 kg), he could still compete for bronze.
The only boxer from Armenia, David Chaloyan (+92 kg), is not a favorite for the 2024 Olympics. However, to win a bronze medal, he only needs to secure two victories to reach the semifinals, and with a favorable draw, this is quite possible. The main favorites in this weight class are Uzbekistan's Bakhodir Jalolov and Kazakhstan's Kamshybek Kunkabayev. If Chaloyan doesn't face them until the semifinals, his medal chances increase significantly. Chaloyan has previously defeated many of the other Olympic participants, including winning silver at the 2021 World Championships and the 2023 Strandja Cup (where he didn't compete in the final against Jalolov due to injury). So, his preparation will be crucial.
Unfortunately, Armenian shooter Elmira Karapetyan will only compete individually. Her duet with Benik Khlgatyan is one of the best in Europe in mixed pairs, but Benik did not qualify, and pairs only participate if both qualify individually. Elmira placed 18th in the 10-meter air pistol event at the Tokyo Olympics but has improved her results since. To win a medal, Elmira will need to surpass her previous performances, but the absence of 2020 Tokyo champion Vitalina Batsarashkina could simplify her task somewhat.
Armenia's 2024 Olympic Team:
- Artur Aleksanyan (Greco-Roman wrestling)
- Malkhas Amoyan (Greco-Roman wrestling)
- Slavik Galstyan (Greco-Roman wrestling)
- Arsen Harutyunyan (freestyle wrestling)
- Vazgen Tevanyan (freestyle wrestling)
- David Chaloyan (boxing)
- Andranik Karapetyan (weightlifting)
- Garik Karapetyan (weightlifting)
- Varazdat Lalayan (weightlifting)
- Artur Davtyan (gymnastics)
- Vahe Davtyan (gymnastics)
- Yervand Mkrtchyan (track and field)
- Artur Barseghyan (swimming)
- Varsenik Manucharyan (swimming)
- Elmira Karapetyan (shooting)
Photo: sport.mediamax.am
Armenia's Medal Predictions for the 2024 Olympics
Optimistic forecast: 13 medals
Realistic expectations for a successful Olympics: 8 medals
These expectations aim to objectively assess Armenia's chances at the Paris Games. However, the reality is much tougher, especially at the Olympics. These athletes will be under close scrutiny from fans and experts. Their performances could be crucial to the overall success of the Armenian team at the Games.
Expectations for the Armenian team at the Paris Olympics are high. Despite all the challenges and tough competition, the team has real chances to achieve the best result in the country's history and win the maximum number of medals. We wish our athletes the best of luck and will be cheering for them at every stage of the competition!
Stay tuned to Sportball 24 for all the latest news and results from the Olympic Games!