Norair Nurikyan

By 1976, Nurikyan had finally adjusted to his new category and won the European Championships in that weight category. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, Nurikyan had no problem winning his second Olympic gold medal. Nurikyan was later told by his wife that Abadjiev had cried. Nurikyan became the first weightlifter from Bulgaria to become an Olympic medalist and Olympic Champion twice.

On the first day of the 1972 Olympic Games, the bus that was taking them to the hall burst into flames. By fate, another bus was going that way and took the team in time for weighing. If they had not made it, they would have been disqualified.

After the 1972 Olympics, Nurikyan had met his wife and for a while training "went to the background." He began to get his "normal" second and third place in European and World Championships. In 1975, Nurikyan returned to top shape and was ready to win. It was at this time that Nurikyan and Abadjiev tried an experiment. They tried to compete at a lower category. Nurikyan was unable to set a total at the World Championships that year and Abadjiev was greatly criticized.

Nurikyan met his wife, Merry, sometime after the 1972 Olympics. They got married sometime later. They had a son in 1974.

In 1969, Nurikyan achieved his first international success outside Bulgaria, becoming third in European and fifth in the world that year. He soon became second in European and third in the world in 1971. During preparations in Bulgaria for the 1972 Summer Olympics, Nurikyan broke a bone in his right wrist in January 1972 and couldn't train. Abadjiev then had the genius idea for him to just squat with the barbell. So, while others would snatch, Nurikyan would squat, and while other clean and jerked, he squatted. He did this for three months until his bone healed. Nurikyan's squats improved from 200 kg to 230 kg during this time.

Norair was born in Sliven, Bulgaria to Armenian parents. His father was a baker and was very strong physically. Norair believed he inherited his father's strength. Like most Armenians in Sliven, Nurikyan took violin lessons. In 1958–1959 one of his teachers, who noticed his strong looks, told him "You won't make a violinist. You'd make a boxer."

Norair Nurikyan (Bulgarian: Норайр Нурикян, Armenian: Նորայր Նուրիկյան; born 26 July 1948) is a former Bulgarian weightlifter of Armenian descent. He is a two-time Olympic Champion and was awarded the Hero of Socialist Labor of Bulgaria and Order of the Bulgaria, First Degree titles. In 1994, Nurikyan was inducted into the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame.