Armenian Gymnasts Begin European Championships in Zagreb Today
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
Today, August 19, Armenian gymnasts begin their campaign at the 2026 European Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Zagreb. In qualification, Team Armenia will compete in the second subdivision, which is scheduled to start at 16:00 Yerevan time.
The men’s European Championships in the Croatian capital will run from August 19 to 23. The first day of competition will feature the senior men’s qualification, which will determine the athletes advancing to the individual apparatus finals. The top eight gymnasts in qualification on each apparatus advance to the final, with no more than two athletes per country allowed to qualify.
For Team Armenia, the individual apparatus events are of particular interest, as several of the country’s leading gymnasts, including medalists from major international competitions, are competing in Zagreb.
Armenia’s Lineup by Apparatus
Pommel Horse:
- Hamlet Manukyan
- Gagik Khachikyan
- Mamikon Khachatryan
Vault:
- Artur Davtyan
- Gagik Khachikyan
Still Rings:
- Artur Avetisyan
- Vahagn Davtyan
Armenia’s main hopes in qualification are therefore focused on three apparatuses: pommel horse, still rings and vault.
The competition on pommel horse is expected to be particularly intense. The first subdivision has already completed its routines, and several high scores have been recorded, with marks exceeding 14.400 points. Armenian gymnasts hoping to finish among the top eight will therefore need to deliver routines of a very high standard.
When Armenia Will Compete
The senior men’s qualification on August 19 is divided into three subdivisions. Armenia has been drawn in the second subdivision alongside representatives of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Norway, Israel, Ireland, Belgium, Greece, Czechia, Portugal, Iceland and other participants.
The second subdivision begins in Zagreb at 14:00 local time, corresponding to 16:00 Yerevan time.
The standings will become significantly clearer after the Armenian gymnasts have competed, but the final list of qualifiers will only be confirmed after the third subdivision has concluded. It starts in the evening, meaning that the final qualification results will be known late in the evening in Europe and closer to nighttime in Yerevan.
The third subdivision will include gymnasts from Great Britain, Türkiye, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands and host nation Croatia, among others. As a result, the battle for the final places in the top eight on each apparatus could continue until the very end of qualification.
How to Watch the European Championships
The competition can be followed through the SmartScoring live results system.
Live stream on Eurovision Sport
The European Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships are being held in Zagreb for the first time. The competition will continue through August 23. The senior individual apparatus finals are split across two days: medals in floor exercise, pommel horse and still rings will be awarded on August 21, while the vault, parallel bars and horizontal bar finals will take place on August 22.
We will find out today which Armenian gymnasts will continue their pursuit of European Championship medals. Armenia’s first performances begin at 16:00 Yerevan time.
At the 2025 European Championships, Armenia won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze. Hamlet Manukyan and Artur Davtyan became European champions, Mamikon Khachatryan claimed silver, while Artur Avetisyan won bronze.