Greta Vardanyan

{{short description|Armenian Paralympic athlete}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Greta Vardanyan | image =  | image_size =  | alt = | caption = | headercolor = | textcolor =  | birth_name = Greta Khndzrtsyan | full_name =  | nickname = | national_team = Armenia | ethnicity = | citizenship = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|2|20}} | birth_place = | education = | alma_mater = Armenian State Pedagogical University | occupation = Psychologist | years_active = | employer = | agent = | height =  | weight =  | spouse = | life_partner = | other_interests = | website =  | module =  | country = Armenia | sport = Powerlifting | disability = Above knee amputation on both legs | disability_class = | weight_class = 55 kg | weight_class_type = | rank = | event = | event_type = | universityteam = | collegeteam = | league = World Para Powerlifting World Cup | league_type = | coach = Samson Khachatryan | retired = | coaching = | module2 =  | worlds = | regionals = | nationals = | olympics = | paralympics = | commonwealth = | highestranking = | pb =  | show-medals = | medaltemplates = | medaltemplates-title = }} '''Greta Vardanyan''' (born February 20, 1986) is an Armenian powerlifter and Para-alpine skier. She has competed on four occasions for Armenia at the Paralympic Games, one Winter and three Summer. Vardanyan was the flag bearer on each occasion when she attended a Summer Games.

==Early life== Greta Vardanyan (née Khndzrtsyan) was born on February 20, 1986.<ref name="news.am"/> When she was two, she was injured in the 1988 Armenian earthquake.<ref name="allfemale">{{cite news|last1=Aghanjanian|first1=Liana|title=Armenia's All-Female Team at 2012 Paralympics|url=http://www.ianyanmag.com/armenias-all-female-team-at-2012-paralympics/|accessdate=November 12, 2017|work=ianyan|date=August 31, 2012}}</ref> As a result, both her legs were amputated above the knee.<ref>{{cite web|title=Athlete Bio|url=https://www.paralympic.org/asp/lib/TheASP.asp?pageid=8937&sportid=515&personid=1014578|publisher=Paralympic.org|accessdate=November 12, 2017|archive-date=November 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113003206/https://www.paralympic.org/asp/lib/TheASP.asp?pageid=8937&sportid=515&personid=1014578|url-status=dead}}</ref> Vardanyan's parents and siblings died due to injuries sustained in the earthquake.<ref name=ysu>{{cite web|title=Student Council-Pyunik: New Format of Cooperation|url=http://ysu.am/news/en/G8wGoLlV3wXDhpnfwrDRSMkN8b|publisher=YSU News|accessdate=November 12, 2017|date=January 18, 2011}}</ref>

==Sporting career== ===Para-alpine skiing=== Vardanyan started to compete in sports in 1993, initially in para-alpine skiing. She was spotted, and between 2002 and 2005 she took part competitively in the United States.<ref name="erit"/> Still using her maiden name, she was one of two athletes competing for Armenia at the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin, Italy.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Armenian National Team of Paralympic Games Leaves for Torino|url=http://parliament.am/news.php?cat_id=1&NewsID=1683&year=&lang=eng|publisher=National Assembly of Armenia|accessdate=November 12, 2017|date=March 3, 2006}}</ref> Vardanyan took part in the women's sitting giant slalom, finishing with an overall time of 3:43.29 in 11th position.<ref>{{cite news|title=Results Day 9 – March 19|url=http://www.cbc.ca/paralympics/results/|accessdate=November 12, 2017|work=CBC.ca}}</ref>

===Weightlifting=== She began competing in weightlifting professionally in 2005, and took part in her first international competition two years later,<ref name="news.am"/> when at the European Open Championships in Greece, she placed second in her weight class and won a silver medal.<ref name=ysu/> Her first Summer Paralympics came in Beijing, China, in 2008. She was selected to be the flag bearer for Armenia during the Parade of Nations in the opening ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|title=Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony - Flagbearers List|url=http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/News/Press_Releases/Flagbearers_List_Opening_Ceremony_Final_5_Sept1.pdf|publisher=Paralympic.org|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080909184931/http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/News/Press_Releases/Flagbearers_List_Opening_Ceremony_Final_5_Sept1.pdf|archivedate=September 9, 2008}}</ref> Vardanyan did not place in the women's 48 kg weight class after failing to lift {{convert|80|kg|lb}} on three occasions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Powerlifting Women's 48 kg|url=http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRMP/ENG/INF/PO/C73/POW048000.pdf|publisher=Beijing 2008|accessdate=November 12, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903163014/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRMP/ENG/INF/PO/C73/POW048000.pdf|archivedate=3 September 2012|date=September 10, 2008}}</ref>

In 2012, she was chosen as part of a female only team, alongside swimmer Maga Hovakimyan, for Armenia to compete in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, England.<ref name="allfemale"/> For the second time, she was selected as the flag bearer for Armenia at the Parade of Nations during the opening ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Opening Ceremony flag bearers|url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/list-opening-ceremony-flag-bearers|publisher=Paralympic.org|accessdate=November 12, 2017|date=August 29, 2012}}</ref> Vardanyan finished outside of the medal positions, having lifted a weight of {{convert|82|kg|lb}} in the Women's 48 kg competition.<ref>{{cite web|title=Paralympic Games: Greta Vardanyan didn't win medal|url=http://lurer.com/?l=en&p=38484|publisher=Lurer.com|accessdate=November 12, 2017|date=September 1, 2012}}</ref>

Vardanyan was once again selected to compete for Armenia at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As with the previous two games, she was chosen as her nation's flag bearer in the Parade of Nations.<ref>{{cite news|title=Greta Vardanyan is Armenia's flag bearer at Rio Paralympics|url=http://sport.mediamax.am/en/news/rio/19760|accessdate=November 12, 2017|work=MediaMax Sport|date=September 8, 2016}}</ref> She finished in fifth place in her weight class, her heaviest lift being {{convert|96|kg|lb}} out of her three successful attempts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Greta Vardanyan took the 5th place at the Summer Paralympic Games|url=http://msy.am/en/noroutyounner/greta-vardanyany-amarayin-paralimpik-khagh.html|publisher=Republic of Armenia Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs|accessdate=November 12, 2017|date=September 14, 2016}}</ref>

Vardanyan finished in second place at the opening event of the World Para Powerlifting World Cup in 2017, held in Eger, Hungary. Taking part in the 55 kg class, she lifted {{convert|85|kg|lb}}, only beaten by Chile's Camila Campos with a lift of {{convert|92|kg|lb}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tunkel victorious at home powerlifting World Cup|url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/tunkel-victorious-home-powerlifting-world-cup|publisher=Paralympic.org|accessdate=November 12, 2017|date=May 4, 2017}}</ref>

==Personal life== Vardanyan is married and has a daughter.<ref name="news.am">{{cite news|title=London Paralympics 2012: Armenian athletes – Greta Vardanyan (PHOTOS)|url=https://sport.news.am/eng/news/10079/london-paralympics-2012-armenian-athletesgreta-vardanyan-photos.html|accessdate=November 12, 2017|work=News.am|date=August 24, 2012}}</ref> She lives in Gyumri, Shirak Province, with her family.<ref name=ysu/> Outside of sports, she is a psychologist, having studied at the Armenian State Pedagogical University<ref name="erit">{{cite news|title="I am simply a European vice champion"|url=http://www.erit.am/news/en/6507|accessdate=November 12, 2017|work=Erit.am|date=January 19, 2011|archive-date=October 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022080227/http://www.erit.am/news/en/6507|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vardanyan, Greta}} Category:Living people Category:1986 births Category:Sportspeople with limb difference Category:Alpine skiers at the 2006 Winter Paralympics Category:Powerlifters at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Category:Powerlifters at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Category:Powerlifters at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Category:Sportspeople from Gyumri Category:Female powerlifters Category:Armenian female alpine skiers Category:Armenian people with disabilities Category:Armenian psychologists Category:Armenian women psychologists

Greta Vardanyan

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