Young Armenian gymnasts Hamlet Manukyan and Mamikon Khachatryan are ready to take a new step in their careers, making their senior debut at the first stage of the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Cottbus, Germany. The tournament will take place from February 18 to 24, and the athletes will join the Armenian national team alongside experienced gymnasts Artur Davtyan, Artur Avetisyan, and Vahagn Davtyan.
A New Chapter in Hamlet Manukyan’s Career
For Manukyan, a two-time junior world champion in 2023, this is a particularly important moment. Last year, he won gold on the pommel horse and rings at the Junior World Championships in Antalya, Turkey, and now aims to solidify his success at the senior level.
“My goal this year is to perform well in all competitions and, with God's help, win a medal,” said Manukyan. He is registered to compete on all apparatus except the rings and has a positive outlook on the changes in the Men's Artistic Gymnastics Code of Points, which reduces the number of counted elements from 10 to 8 in the 2025-2028 Olympic cycle. "This is very good," he noted with a smile.
From Wrestling to Gymnastics
Like many Armenian children, Manukyan initially practiced wrestling, a sport in which Armenia has a strong tradition. His father believed that gymnastics would help develop the physical skills necessary for wrestling success. However, Manukyan quickly developed a passion for gymnastics and decided to stay in the sport.
“I immediately felt a connection with gymnastics,” he recalls. “I started showing good results, and at that point, my father no longer let me switch sports. And I didn’t want to either.”
Now, at 17, Manukyan is known for his clean execution, particularly on the pommel horse, where he shows the most potential. His style is similar to that of senior teammates Artur Davtyan, Vahagn Davtyan, and Artur Avetisyan. "We all train at the same school, and that is very inspiring," he says. "I have learned a lot from them in terms of execution quality."
The Challenge of Senior Competitions
Manukyan’s debut at the World Cup in Cottbus will be a tough test. In the pommel horse event, he will compete against experienced gymnasts, including two-time world championship medalist Ahmad Abu Al-Soud (Jordan), 2024 Olympic finalist Loran de Monaco (Netherlands), world championship finalists Joshua Nathan (Great Britain) and Nils Dunkel (Germany), as well as European championship medalist Marios Georgiou (Cyprus).
"It is much harder at the senior level," Manukyan admits. "My first goal is to perform my routine successfully in Cottbus, but overall, I want to represent my country with honor and win new medals. To achieve that, I must work hard and train to compete with the best."
Another newcomer to the Armenian team, Mamikon Khachatryan, was a silver and bronze medalist at the European Junior Championships. He is also considered a great talent.