Ashot Danielyan (, born April 11, 1974, in

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerev ...

Armenian SSR The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ArSSR), also known as Soviet Armenia, or simply Armenia, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union, located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Soviet Armenia bordered the Soviet republics ...

) is a retired

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

weightlifter Weightlifting or weight lifting generally refers to physical exercises and sports in which people lift weights, often in the form of dumbbells, barbells or machines. People engage in weightlifting for a variety of different reasons. These can ...

. Danielyan is a two-time European champion, having won consecutive gold medals at the

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

and

2000 European Weightlifting Championships The 2000 European Weightlifting Championships were held in Sofia, Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danub ...

. He also came in 13th place at the

1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...

. He initially won a bronze medal in the men's super heavyweight (+105 kg) weight class at the

2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, officially branded as Sydney 2000, and also known as the Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event held from 15 September to 1 October ...

, but was stripped of the medal and suspended following a positive

drug test A drug test (also often toxicology screen or tox screen) is a technical analysis of a biological specimen, for example urine, hair, blood, breath, sweat, or saliva, oral fluid/saliva—to determine the presence or absence of specified parent ...

. Danielyan would have been only the second Olympic medalist weightlifter from the independent Republic of Armenia, after

Arsen Melikyan Arsen Melikyan (, born 17 May 1976) is an Armenian weightlifter. Melikyan won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics by snatching 365 kg. He became the first Olympian from the independent Republic of Armenia Armenia, off ...

, who won an Olympic medal just days earlier. He returned to win a silver medal at the

2003 European Weightlifting Championships The 2003 European Weightlifting Championships were held in Loutraki, Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albani ...

and to compete at the

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece. The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...

, but did not finish the contest. After coming in second at the

2006 European Weightlifting Championships The 2006 in sports, 2006 European Weightlifting Championships were held in Władysławowo, Poland from 29 April to 7 May 2006. It was the 85th edition of the event, which was first staged in 1896. Medal overview Men Women Medal table Refere ...

, he was disqualified once again by doping and he retired. ;Career bests * Snatch: 215 kg *

Clean and jerk The clean and jerk is a composite of two weightlifting movements, most often performed with a barbell: the clean and the jerk. During the ''clean'', the lifter moves the barbell from the floor to a racked position across the deltoids, without rest ...

: 262.5 kg * Total: 477.5 kg in 2001 at local competition in Armenia

References

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* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Danielyan, Ashot 1974 births Living people Sportspeople from Yerevan Armenian male weightlifters Olympic weightlifters for Armenia Weightlifters at the 1996 Summer Olympics Weightlifters at the 2000 Summer Olympics Weightlifters at the 2004 Summer Olympics Doping cases in weightlifting Armenian sportspeople in doping cases Competitors stripped of Summer Olympics medals European champions in weightlifting European champions for Armenia European Weightlifting Championships medalists Ethnic Armenian sportspeople