Martirosyan Wins Silver in Weightlifting (105 kg)

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (A.W.)—Simon Martirosyan (b. 1997) became Armenia’s first medal winner at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after winning a silver in men’s 105 kg weightlifting on Aug. 15. Martirosyan lifted a total of 417 kg, and placed second only to Ruslan Nurudinov of Uzbekistan, who set an Olympic record with a total weight of 431 kg.

Martirosyan has previously won a gold medal at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics and a bronze medal in the 2016 European Weightlifting Championships.

A record number of 33 athletes are competing for Team Armenia in the 2016 Olympic Games; it is the most since 32 athletes participated in the 1996 games in Atlanta, Ga.—Armenia’s first post-independence Olympic Games.