Armenian Athletes Competing for Other Countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics

As the 2026 Winter Olympic Games open in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, our attention is turning not only to Armenia’s official national team but also to athletes of Armenian origin who will compete for other countries.

The Games are set to begin on February 6, with Armenia sending five athletes across three sports. Alongside them, several competitors with Armenian roots will appear under different flags. These athletes will represent Cyprus, France, and Russia (AIN), and each will take part in highly watched winter sports.

One of them is Yianno Kouyoumdjian, a 29-year-old alpine skier competing for Cyprus. He is scheduled to race in two technical events, starting with the giant slalom on February 14, followed by the slalom on February 16. Alpine skiing is among the most demanding sports at the Winter Games, requiring precision, speed, and consistency over difficult courses.

France’s delegation will include brothers Terence Tchiknavorian and Melvin Tchiknavorian, both from Marseille. The two athletes specialize in freestyle skiing, specifically the ski cross event. This discipline places several racers on the same course at once, where they navigate jumps, sharp turns, and changing terrain at high speed. Their competition is set for February 21, a date that could become one of the highlights for Armenian supporters following athletes abroad.

Russia (AIN) will also have a notable figure skater of Armenian origin in its lineup. Adelia Petrosyan is among the 13 athletes representing the country at these Games. She is scheduled to perform in the short program on February 17 and the free skate on February 19. Figure skating remains one of the most closely watched Olympic sports, blending athletic skill with artistic performance, and her appearances are expected to draw strong attention.

With Armenian athletes appearing both within the national team and under foreign flags, the 2026 Winter Olympics are shaping up to be an event of wide interest for Armenians worldwide. Fans will be tracking results not only for Armenia’s five official representatives, but also for these competitors abroad, whose backgrounds connect them to the Armenian sporting community and whose performances could add extra excitement to the Winter Games.

—

Support independent reporting from the region by subscribing to The Armenian Report. Our team is funded solely by readers like you.