Armenian Weightlifter Karapetyan to Represent Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina has officially acquired a new outstanding athlete and Olympian — decorated Armenian weightlifter Andranik Karapetyan has become a citizen of the country and is now eligible to represent it on the international stage.

This was announced by the Weightlifting Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Karapetyan is already a member of the Željezničar club and has joined the national federation. The decision to grant citizenship was made by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Andranik Karapetyan is one of the strongest Armenian weightlifters of his generation and a two-time Olympian (2016, 2024). In recent years, the 29-year-old has competed in the highly competitive 89 kg weight category. He is the 2016 European champion and the silver medalist of the 2023 European Championship in Yerevan, where he set a european record in the snatch with 178 kg.

At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Karapetyan was one of the top contenders but suffered a serious arm injury during the clean and jerk, which forced him to take a long recovery. Nevertheless, he managed to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Earlier this winter, Armenia’s head weightlifting coach Pashik Alaverdyan announced that Karapetyan was no longer part of the national team’s plans. Mnatsakan Abrahamyan competed in the 89 kg category at the 2025 European Championship, and Suren Grigoryan is listed for the 2025 World Championship.

Andranik Karapetyan is already included in the preliminary squad of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the 2025 World Championship, which will take place in Norway in mid-October.

The Bosnian Weightlifting Federation is optimistic and hopes Karapetyan will already fight for medals at this year’s World Championship in Norway.

It’s worth noting that another former Armenian team member, Gor Minasyan, has been competing for Bahrain for the second consecutive year.