The Armenia artistic gymnastics team has placed second at Rusudan Sikharulidze Cup held in Batumi from September 2-6. Head coach of the Armenia team Hakob Serobyan summed up the tournament in a conversation with the ANOC press service.

“The Armenia team with its members Artur Avetisyan, Gagik Khachikyan and Erik Baghdasaryan placed second among 10 teams conceding only to the Lithuania team. In the adults’ competition Artur Avetisyan came second in the all-around event, in the youth competition Gagik Khachikyan became a winner and Erik Baghdasaryan took the second position. In the floor exercise and pommel horse Gagik Khachikyan was the first among the young gymnasts, and in the rings event he was the third. Erik Baghdasaryan came second both in the pommel horse and rings event. In the vault and parallel bars events Erik Baghdasaryan came first, in the balance beam event – second.  Gagik Khachikyan took the third position at vault and the second position at parallel bars. In the adults’ floor exercise Artur Avetisyan placed third. Harutyun Merdinyan was the first at pommel horse. Artur Tovmasyan was the best at rings and Artur Avetisyan was second in the same event. In the women’s competition Anna Grigoryan placed third at vault,” Hakob Serobyan said.

The team’s head coach said that such tournaments were very important, especially for young athletes.

“The main goal is to get experience for young athletes. I’m pleased, the results were good. For Harutyun Merdinyan and Artur Tovmasyan it was a preparatory phase before the World Championship and, naturally, they aren’t in their best shape though both placed first. We are planning to have them in their best shape during the World Championship,” Hakob Serobyan said.

Before the World Championship the Armenia team will spend a 14-day training camp in Tbilisi. According to Hakob Serobyan the training camp will be possible to conduct because a part of the championship expenses will be covered by host country, Germany.

“We got extra money in our budget and we decided to organize this training camp including in it the women’s and youth teams. It will be an incentive and useful for them. I’d like to stress that such a thing happens for the first time,” he concluded.