Armenia Hosts Its First-Ever Wheelchair Rugby Match

The first wheelchair rugby match in Armenia's history has taken place in Yerevan. Eight Armenian athletes participated in the event, trying the sport for the first time.

The project was initiated by American researchers who, together with Armenian partners, brought ten specially designed sports wheelchairs to the country. The aim of the project is to introduce Armenian athletes to a new sport and test equipment that could make wheelchair rugby more accessible in the future.

The First Match Nearly Had to Be Canceled

Preparations for the historic event were complicated by unexpected difficulties. The equipment shipped from the United States was held up at Armenian customs, and the organizers were only able to retrieve it on the day of the match.

The specialists had to urgently assemble ten wheelchairs from metal components, with only a few hours remaining before the event.

When the event began, there was just one fully assembled wheelchair in the sports hall. The remaining equipment arrived after 4:00 p.m.

Despite the delay, the organizers managed to prepare the athletes for the game. The participants warmed up and learned how to operate the specialized wheelchairs, make passes, and maneuver around the court.

The eight athletes were then divided into two teams — blue and yellow. The match consisted of four eight-minute quarters.

The blue team scored the first point in the history of wheelchair rugby in Armenia.

New Wheelchairs Could Make the Sport More Accessible

A distinctive feature of the project was the use of experimental sports wheelchairs developed using principles inspired by the Japanese art of kirigami.

Their design consists of thin metal sheets that are laser-cut, folded, and connected using standard fasteners.

This approach is intended to simplify the manufacturing, transportation, and assembly of the equipment and, most importantly, reduce its cost.

Currently, specialized wheelchair rugby chairs cost between $8,000 and $15,000, representing a significant barrier to the development of the sport.

The American researchers hope their design will make the equipment more affordable for athletes around the world.

Armenia Could Establish Its Own Wheelchair Rugby League

Following the event, all ten sports wheelchairs remained in Armenia.

The Armenian project partners will continue evaluating the equipment's performance, collecting usage data, and gathering feedback from athletes. The results of these tests will help engineers improve the design.

In the long term, the organizers hope the project will lay the foundation for establishing a wheelchair rugby league in Armenia.

For now, the main achievement is the successful staging of the country's first wheelchair rugby match, giving Armenian athletes an opportunity to experience a new Paralympic team sport.

Source: University of Illinois, “Bringing wheelchair rugby to Armenia” by Kaitlyn Thornton.