Sarkis Sarchayan

Sarkis Asatovich Sarchayan (Russian: Саркис Азатович Сархаян; 26 November 1947 - 21 January 2021), was a male former international table tennis player from Soviet Union.^[2] At his peak, he was ranked 7th in the World Rankings.

Sarkis Sarchayan
Full name	Sarkis Sarchayan
Nationality	Soviet Union
Born	(1947-11-26)26 November 1947 Batumi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
Died	24 January 2021(2021-01-24) (aged 73)
Height	174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Table tennis career
Playing style	Left-handed, shakehand grip
Highest ranking	5 (1973)[1]
Medal record Men's table tennis Representing  Soviet Union Event 1st 2nd 3rd World Championships 0 1 1 European Championships 0 3 5 Europe Top 16 0 0 1 Total 0 4 7 Representing  Soviet Union table tennis World Table Tennis Championships 1975 Calcutta Mixed Doubles 1973 Sarajevo Team European Championships 1970 Moscow Team 1968 Lyon Team 1966 London Team 1978 Duisburg Mixed Doubles 1978 Duisburg Team 1976 Prague Team 1974 Novi Sad Doubles 1970 Moscow Team Europe Top 16 1976 Lübeck Singles European Youth Championships 1965 Prague Team 1965 Prague Singles

Career

Junior career

In his childhood, Sarchayan played football and he began playing table tennis at the age of 11 in Batumi.^[3] In 1965, he was a part of the Soviet team that won the team event of the European Youth Championships in Prague.^[4] A year later in Kaunas, he won his first gold medal at the Soviet National Championships, winning the doubles event.

International career

In 1966, Sarchayan made his debut at the European Championships in London. He helped the Soviet team to win the silver medal in team event. Since this tournament, Sarchayan was a regular national team member until 1978.

Sarchayan did not lose a single game in the team event of the 1973 World Table Tennis Championships, helping the Soviet team to win bronze medals. The Soviets barely lost to the eventual champions, China team 4-5, but Sarchayan won all three of his games.^[4] In the next edition of the World Championships, Sarchayan won a silver medal in the mixed doubles event with Elmira Antonyan, losing their compatriots Stanislav Gomozkov and Zoja Rudnova in the final.^{[5] [6]}

Sarchayan played his last major tournament in 1978 in Duisburg, where the European Championships were held. He finished the tournament with two bronze medals on his account, in mixed doubles and team events.

Sarchayan participated in four Europe Top 16 editions, his best being the 3rd place finish in 1976 tournament.^[7]

Accolades

On the professional circuit, he won one singles and eight doubles titles in his career. Sarchayan retired as the most successful player in the Soviet Championships history with a total of 26 gold medals. Five of them, in singles event.^[8]

Death

In 2021, Sarchayan died from coronavirus at the age of 77.^[4]

External links

• Sarkis Sarchayan at Table Tennis Media
• Sarkis Sarchayan at Table Tennis Guide

See also

• List of table tennis players
• List of World Table Tennis Championships medalists