Albert Azaryan Biography: Awards, Age, Olympic Medals, Height, Net Worth, Wife, Ethnicity, Net Worth, Death

Albert Azaryan is a legendary Soviet and Armenian artistic gymnast who made the iron cross on the still rings his signature move, earning him the nickname the “Lord of the Rings”.

His athletic power and grace, particularly in the still rings event, earned him three Olympic gold medals and four World Championship titles throughout his career.

He is best known for inventing a unique variation of the iron cross that was officially named the Azaryan Cross by the International Gymnastics Federation.

Quick Facts

  • Full names: Albert Vaginakovich Azaryan
  • Stage Name: Albert Azaryan
  • Date of birth: February 11, 1929
  • Age: 97 years old
  • Gender: Male
  • Place of birth: Karakilisa (now Vanadzor), Armenian SSR, Transcaucasian SFSR, Soviet Union
  • Nationality: Armenian
  • Profession: Artistic gymnast, coach
  • Parents: Vaginak (father)
  • Siblings: two sisters and two brothers
  • Spouse: Elizaveta Azaryan (deceased)
  • Children: Eduard Azaryan (son), Zhanna Azaryan-Sargsyan (daughter, deceased), one other daughter
  • Relationship status: Widower
  • Religion: Christian
  • Ethnicity: Armenian
  • Net worth: $5 million

Early Life and Education

Albert Azaryan, who would be 96 years old in 2025 if alive, was born on February 11, 1929, in Karakilisa, Armenian SSR. His early life was marked by hardship when his father died when Albert was only 14 years old.

This event forced him to leave school and begin working as an ironsmith to provide for his family, which included his mother and four children (two sisters and two brothers).

He began training in gymnastics relatively late at the age of 17 when he took up the sport in Yerevan. He attended the State Institute of Physical Culture in Yerevan and later became a graduate student at the Institute of Physical Education and Sports in Moscow, where he majored in physical education.

Personal Life

Albert Azaryan was married to Elizaveta Azaryan. While details of how they met are not public, Elizaveta was also a competitive gymnast who reportedly won an Olympic medal for the Soviet Union. Together they had three children: a son named Eduard Azaryan, and two daughters.

The entire family was involved in gymnastics. Their son Eduard became an Olympic champion in 1980. Their daughter Zhanna later became a teacher. Both Elizaveta and Zhanna passed away in October 2021, just days apart. The family later immigrated to the United States and Eduard opened his own gymnastics academy in California.

Career

Albert Azaryan’s competitive career began when he was a teenager, but he rose to international fame during the 1950s and early 1960s as a member of the powerful Soviet national gymnastics team. He specialized in the still rings, where his combination of physical strength and elegant execution was unmatched.

His major triumphs came on the Olympic stage, where he secured back-to-back gold medals in the still rings event at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and the 1960 Rome Olympics.

This achievement made him the first gymnast in history to successfully defend an individual Olympic title on the rings. He also contributed significantly to the Soviet team’s silver medal finish in the team all-around in 1956.

Beyond the Olympics, Azaryan was a dominant force at the World Championships. He won gold medals in the still rings in 1954 and 1958, and secured team all-around gold medals with the Soviet team in 1954 and 1958. He also claimed multiple European Championship titles in the late 1950s.

After retiring from competition in 1964, Azaryan transitioned into coaching, where he trained the next generation of gymnasts in Armenia. He held prominent positions, including serving as the President of the Armenian Gymnastics Federation for decades and running the Albert Azaryan School of Gymnastics in Yerevan.

His legacy includes the invention of the famous “Azaryan Cross” maneuver, a difficult variation of the iron cross that is recognized in the gymnastics code of points. He was voted the top Armenian athlete of the 20th century in a national poll.

Awards

  • Olympic gold medal (still rings) (1956)
  • Olympic gold medal (still rings) (1960)
  • World Championship gold medal (still rings) (1954)
  • World Championship gold medal (still rings) (1958)
  • World Championship gold medal (team all-around) (1954)
  • World Championship gold medal (team all-around) (1958)
  • European Championship gold medal (still rings) (1955)
  • European Championship gold medal (all-around) (1955)
  • European Championship gold medal (parallel bars) (1955)
  • Order of the Red Banner of Labour (Soviet Union)
  • Order of the Badge of Honour (Soviet Union)

Net Worth

Albert Azaryan’s net worth is estimated to be $5 million. Based on his career as a highly successful Soviet amateur athlete, coach, and federation president.

Death

Albert Azaryan died on September 5, 2023, in Yerevan, Armenia. He was 94 years old. He received a state funeral for his contributions to Armenian and world sports.

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