YEREVAN — Armenian athletes have claimed their first medals at the European Shooting Championship currently underway in Yerevan.
Representing Armenia, Lilith Mkrtchyan was crowned European champion for the fourth time in her career, winning gold in the women’s running target event. In a hard-fought final, Mkrtchyan defeated fellow Armenian Gohar Harutyunyan by an 8–6 scoreline. The bronze medal went to a representative of Ukraine.
“This medal will always be remembered because today I achieved something I had dreamed of for years,” Mkrtchyan said after her victory. “I am very proud that two representatives of Armenia stood on the podium together. Before the final, I told Gohar that we had to fight together for the gold medal — and we did exactly that. Gohar is a very strong athlete. It is an honor to lose to her, and a double honor to win against her. Becoming European champion in your homeland brings completely different emotions. This support helped us greatly.”
Earlier today, the first medalists were also determined in other events at the European Shooting Championship, being held in Yerevan for the first time in history.
At the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex, Norway won gold in the 10m air rifle mixed team event (men and women), setting a world record at this championship with a score of 506.7 points. Germany finished second with 504.4 points, while Sweden placed third with 437.8 points.
In the women’s 10m air pistol event, Hungary’s Olympic bronze medalist Veronika Major claimed the European title with 238.8 points. Slovenia’s Manja Slak took silver with 238.2 points, and Bulgaria’s Antoaneta Kostadinova secured bronze with 215.0 points. In the women’s team standings, Hungary finished first, Georgia second, and Bulgaria third.
The winners in this event were awarded by Luciano Rossi, President of the International Shooting Sport Federation, and Artur Sedrakyan, Head of the Sports Policy Development and Analysis Department at Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.
