Armenia’s former European champion in judo Armen Nazaryan (66 kg) won the top title in the Judo 2010 World Cup second round tournament held in Prague, Czech Republic, February 26-27, reports the National Olympic Committee of Armenia (www.armnoc.am). It took the Armenian athlete 2 minutes and 54 seconds to beat a French rival in the final fight and take the winner’s spot. A total of four Armenian judokas took part in the competitions.

Armenia’s Kristine Khachatryan started last but finished third from bottom in a 10-kilometer cross-country race in the Winter Olympics Monday in Canada.

The race at Whistler Olympic Park in Vancouver was the first of these Olympics featuring an Armenian. Khachatryan finished 76th time (34:17.5) among 78 participants. In the race won by Nordic favorites (best time 24:58.4, showed by a Swede) the 20-year-old from Gyumri managed to beat athletes from Macedonia and Serbia, whose results stood at 34:45.8 and 35:47.4, respectively.

Chess: Team Armenia, the winner of the last two World Chess Olympiads (2006 and 2008), were going strong until Round 6 at the continuing World Team Championships in Bursa, Turkey, when they suffered a surprise defeat to the Hellenic team.