The European Shooting Championship officially began with an opening ceremony at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex in Yerevan. The event brought together athletes and officials from across Europe to compete in one of the continent’s premier shooting sports competitions. The Armenian Report was present, covering the event firsthand.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan, President of the International Shooting Sport Federation Luciano Rossi, and President of the European Shooting Confederation Alexander Ratner attended the ceremony.
The opening event included a multimedia presentation showing Armenia’s rich history, culture, and traditions. The host nation’s flag was formally handed over to the President of the Armenian Shooting Federation, Artur Hovhannisyan, marking the start of the championship.
Athletes from multiple countries shared their excitement for the event. Georgian twins Salome and Mariami Prodiashvili expressed their enjoyment of Armenia in an interview with The Armenian Report, noting the friendly atmosphere and strong connections with local athletes. Armenian athletes also welcomed the participants warmly, showing them the city and its cultural landmarks. Bulgarian athlete Kiril Kirov spoke to us about the smooth organization of the championship and expressed interest in exploring Armenian cuisine during his stay.
Officials emphasized Armenia’s growing presence in European sports. Karen Giloyan, a board member of the World Anti-Doping Agency, said that since 2022, Armenia has successfully hosted European and World Championships in various sports. Armenia was selected to host the adult European Shooting Championship, while Bulgaria received the youth championship. Giloyan highlighted the professionalism of organizers and participants and expressed optimism about the medal prospects for Armenian athletes.
The championship will continue over the coming days, with athletes competing across multiple events. The Armenian Report will continue to cover updates from the competition as the tournament unfolds.
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