Armenians Athletics

Ani Taherian has won more Olympic gold medals in the past five days than speed skater Bonnie Blair did in a lifetime. But the 13-year-old girl from Santa Clara was competing in the lesser-known 20th Annual Navasartian Games--also called the Armenian Olympics--with more than 2,000 athletes between the ages of 8 and 40 from California, Utah and even Toronto and London. "It's not really a big thing," Taherian said of her six first-place finishes in track and field this year.

Ten thousand people celebrated the annual Navasartian Games on Sunday at Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, an event that has captivated the Southland's Armenian community for 26 years. The competition, first held after the Armenian holocaust of 1918, aims to build character and strength of mind through sportsmanship, organizers said. More than 3,500 child and adult athletes competed for eight consecutive weekends, beginning May 5. Sunday marked the final day.

Ten thousand people celebrated the annual Navasartian Games on Sunday at Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, an event that has captivated the Southland's Armenian community for 26 years. The competition, first held after the Armenian holocaust of 1918, aims to build character and strength of mind through sportsmanship, organizers said. More than 3,500 child and adult athletes competed for eight consecutive weekends, beginning May 5. Sunday marked the final day.

Ani Taherian has won more Olympic gold medals in the past five days than speed skater Bonnie Blair did in a lifetime. But the 13-year-old girl from Santa Clara was competing in the lesser-known 20th Annual Navasartian Games--also called the Armenian Olympics--with more than 2,000 athletes between the ages of 8 and 40 from California, Utah and even Toronto and London. "It's not really a big thing," Taherian said of her six first-place finishes in track and field this year.