AUA Students Secure Second Place in Table Tennis Tournament

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YEREVAN, Armenia — On April 30, within the scope of the 24th Championship of Student Sports Games, a table tennis tournament was held at Shirak State University.

Ruben Galoyan (BSDS ‘26 ), Hayk Ashughyan (BSCS ‘25), and Samvel Shahumyan (BSCS ‘26), coached by Hripsime Ghukasyan, AUA physical education instructor, represented the American University of Armenia (AUA) at the student tournament attended by student-athletes from 15 universities in Armenia.

AUA’s Physical Education Coordinator Artak Stepanyan remarked, “the tournament was not only a wonderful platform for the students to demonstrate their skills and gauge their athletic potential, but also an opportunity to make new friends.”

Both in team and individual competitions, the games took place in a hot contest projecting students’ preparation and intense desire for victory. In a fierce competition, the AUA boys’ team secured second place, with the Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture and Sport (ASIPCS) in first place and the Russian-Armenian University in third.

Reflecting on the tournament, one of the participating students, Ruben Galoyan remarked, “Participating in such a great tournament was an excellent experience for me and my friends. The competition was very tough, but still, we managed to get through the finals, where we lost to ASIPCS with an overall team score of 0:2. I also made a lot of new friends. The atmosphere was very friendly — so many thanks to AUA for this great opportunity.”

The coach of the team Hripsime Ghukasyan underlined the importance of sport in every student’s life. She also elaborated that AUA actively participates in intercollegiate sports championships, noting, “This tournament was just one of them, and our team’s success was the result of a lot of hard effort.” 

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.