The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) today commemorates Norayr Nurikyan, who passed away a month ago.
On the first day of the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, the weigh-in for the men's 60 kg weightlifting category was taking place. Bulgarian athlete of Armenian descent, Norayr Nurikyan, born in 1948, was preparing for his Olympic debut. However, on the way to the weigh-in, an unexpected incident occurred: the bus carrying the athletes caught fire. Fortunately, alternative transport was quickly arranged, and the athletes managed to arrive in time. Had they been late, they would have been disqualified.
Fate was kind: the next day, Nurikyan won the gold medal, becoming Bulgaria’s first Olympic champion in weightlifting. His results: 127.5 kg in the snatch, 117.5 kg in the press, 157.5 kg in the clean and jerk, totaling 402.5 kg. This triumph marked the beginning of Bulgaria’s golden era in weightlifting, which has since brought the country 39 Olympic medals.
But Nurikyan’s achievements didn’t end there. Four years later, at the Montreal Olympics, he again climbed to the top of the podium—this time in the 56 kg category, with 117.5 kg in the snatch, 145 kg in the clean and jerk, and 262.5 kg in total.
At World Championships, Nurikyan had less success but still reached the podium three times: silver in 1973, and bronze in 1971 and 1974. In 1976, he became European champion and throughout his career set five world records. His coach was the legendary Ivan Abadjiev, widely regarded as the "father of Bulgarian weightlifting" and mentor to many Olympic and world champions.
After his 1972 Olympic victory, Norayr Nurikyan got married, and in 1974 his son was born. The athlete passed away in March 2025 at the age of 76, leaving behind not only a sporting legacy but also a significant chapter in the history of Armenian-Bulgarian sports relations.
Norayr has a grandson — Norayr Nurikyan, a footballer who plays in the Levski Sofia academy.