200 ATHLETES IN RHODE ISLAND FOR ARMENIAN YOUTH OLYMPICS

Providence Journal
Sept 4 2009

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — More than 200 youth athletes from around the
country began converging on Rhode Island Friday to participate in the
76th annual Armenian Youth Federation Olympics at various locations
this weekend.

Open to those between the ages of 16 and 28, the event is expected
to draw as many as 3,000 visitors, according to Stephen Mesrobian,
who is in charge of the hotel committee.

Beginning with golf and tennis tournaments that took place Friday
morning and a swimming meet at Seekonk High School at 5 Friday
afternoon, the five-day event will also include a softball tournament
and a picnic at the Masonic Youth Grounds, 116 Long St., Warwick,
starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, and a series of track and field events,
with opening ceremonies at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday at Cranston High
School West, 80 Metropolitan Ave., Cranston.

There also will be four dances, all open to the public, at the Rhode
Island Convention Center — an AYF Alumni reception Friday from 8
p.m. to 1 a.m., an AYF dance Friday night from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., a
dance Saturday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and a Sunday night Grand Ball
featuring music from an AYF Olympic All-Star Band from 8 p.m. to 2
a.m. Tickets for the Friday and Saturday night dances are $20 each,
and $25 for the Sunday ball.

Mesrobian said athletes of Armenian descent will be here from as
far away as California, and it’s possible there will be participants
from Armenia.

Rhode Island will have nearly 60 athletes competing.

"This is the 11th time we’ve hosted the Olympics, and we have a
long and proud tradition," Mesrobian said. "Providence has won 37
championships in the last 75 years."