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David HambartsumyanSoviet athlete
Date of Birth: 24.06.1956
Country:  Armenia |
Content:
Biography of David Ambartsumyan
David Ambartsumyan was a Soviet athlete, a 16-time champion of the USSR, a two-time European champion (1981, 1983), and an Olympic medalist (1980) in diving. He was honored as a Master of Sports of the USSR in 1980 and competed for "Dynamo" (Yerevan).
Early Life and Family
David Ambartsumyan was born in Kafan, Armenia in 1956 into a sports-oriented family. His father, Grigory Mesropovich Ambartsumyan, was a renowned football player in Armenia and played for the Yerevan-based team "Ararat" in the early 1960s. His mother, Alisa Levonovna Badalova, was involved in artistic gymnastics.
The family moved to Yerevan in 1963, and in 1965, David Ambartsumyan started practicing diving under the guidance of Lavrentiy Taroyan.
Achievements
In 1972, Ambartsumyan became the champion of the USSR for the first time in the 10-meter platform diving category. He went on to win the USSR championship a total of 15 times in both 10-meter and 7.5-meter platform diving.
From 1971 to 1984, David Ambartsumyan was a member of the Soviet national diving team. He participated in the Olympic Games in Munich (1972), Montreal (1976), and Moscow (1980), where he won a bronze medal. He also became the European champion in 1981 and 1983.
After the Soviet political leadership prevented Soviet athletes from competing in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Ambartsumyan decided to retire from his sports career.
Post-Sports Career and Legacy
Following his retirement, Ambartsumyan worked as the head of the educational department of the sports society "Dynamo" in Yerevan (1984-1987) and as the deputy chairman of the Sports Committee of Armenia (1987-1992).
David Ambartsumyan passed away on January 9, 1992, due to a sudden cardiac arrest. In 1992, the Yerevan School of Olympic Reserve for Diving was named after him as a tribute to his contribution to the sport.
