Sarkis SARKHOJAN a mainstay of Soviet Union table tennis success passes away
An international career spanning almost two decades representing the Soviet Union enjoying success at both World and European Championships Sarkis Sarkhojan passed away on Sunday 24 January.
He was 73 years old.
Born on Wednesday 26 November 1947 in Batumi a port city in Georgia located on the Black Sea near the Turkish border Sarkis SARKHOJAN was a left handed attacking top spin player who first came to international attention at the 1965 European Youth Championships in Prague. He won the junior boys’ team title lining up alongside Aleta FROG Stanislav GOMOZKOV and Gegam VARDANJAN before later in the tournament losing to Vardanjan in the junior boys’ singles final.
Following success at youth level for the next decade and more he enjoyed success at the senior level.
At the 1966 European Championships in London alongside Anatoli AMELIN Stanislav GOMOZKOV Gennadi AVERIN and Gennadi STRENLIKOV he secured men’s team silver. He repeated the feat two years later in Lyon when Uldis EGLITIS and Gegam VARDANJAN replaced AVERIN and STRENLIKOV.
He won bronze at the European Championships in 1970 in Moscow making it three successful Championships in a row. Alas there was no such success in 1972 in Rotterdam but for the next three editions of the prestigious tournament podium places were reserved.
On duty in 1974 in Novi Sad he partnered Stanislav GOMOZKOV to win men’s doubles bronze. In 1976 in Prague lining up alongside Stanislav GOMOZKOV Bagrat BURNAZIAN and Anatoli STROKATOV he won the same colour medal in the men’s team competition. The run of success continued in 1978 in Duisburg when arguably he enjoyed the most successful European Championships of his career. Two bronze medals were secured in the men’s team with Anatoli STROKATOV and Valery SCHEVCHENKO and in the mixed doubles in partnership with Anita ZAKHARIAN.
Meanwhile commencing in 1974 he competed in four consecutive Europe Top 12 tournaments his best finish being fifth place in Lübeck in 1976.
On the wider scene he was in action at five World Championships his first being 1967 in Stockholm his swansong 1977 in Birmingham his finest moment undoubtedly in 1975 in Calcutta when the was the mixed doubles runner up partnering Elmira Antonian. In an all Soviet Union final the duo experienced defeat at the hands of Stanislav GOMOZKOV and Tatiana FERDMAN.
Domestically between 1963 and 1983 he participated in the national championships each year on a total of 21 occasions. He won a total of 26 titles five men’s singles 12 men’s doubles nine mixed doubles.
Most notably he ascended to the no.7 spot on the December 1973 world rankings.
A record of remarkable consistency Sarkis SARKHOJAN rest in peace.
