AN ARMENIAN BIKE ERVANT NORHADIAN (1916-1994)

In the interwar period the Armenians occurred in several sports, along with Romanian athletes. Basketball, table tennis players (ping-pong), climbers, footballers, etc., both as players and as coaches. This trend, more subdued, continued in the postwar years.

Cycling, as was natural, he was not spared, and in 1945 and following with great riders who evolved on roads and velodromes in Romania, Gabriel Moiceanu, Marin Niculescu, Şandru and others, was the famous cyclist Ervant Norhadian .

He was coming sometimes Carol 43, riding a bicycle, just from the end Griviţa path where the Norhadians, kept a shop since 1924. He are born in a day of November of 1916 and now was about 30. The Norhadians were redfish. Firm Armenians, persevering, enterprising and competitive spirit. And Ervant loved bike, run all the time, how could he train. Gociman was a good counselor, you will feel, as was experienced cyclist who often tease him and sympathize Ervant but because he see a talented rider. Cociumian Vasken a friend, cyclist, who though lame, bike toured Romania, and Baclagian Garbis, owner and bike awards he was more dogged them and cycling for Ervant was was more than a hobby. He had a vision of a proportion of cycling movements that made the World Tour event.

Ervant participated in local competitions, often occupying the first place, since the early 30 ‘when he did not have 20 years. C. Cantili, who traveled from Bucharest to Paris by bike in just 10 days of cycling Romanian lover,  had the viewfinder and supported him morally and materially. In 1932, Ervant Norhadian became national champion in cycling, junior. He was then 16 years old. Ambitious as a redfish, wants to go further. Cyclists have known sport pedals encourages time. Among them were Nicholas Tapu, Tudose Constantin Virgil Mormocea and others.

But here’s what tells us, in a TV show, Mr.. Kirmizian Anush known businessman in Romania and France: I’m part of the generation that witnessed the rise of cycling in Romania. I witnessed the inauguration Velodrome Dinamo  in the 50 ‘, the child then. Then there came and competed union team in France. What is curious is that after I left the country and I settled in Paris, I met Isaac Lyon Frenchman, who won it. He recalled the events organized in Bucharest, the Romanian enthusiasm then. Not many people know now that the mid-century cycling was a sport loved very sought. Sports have another youth share. Who did not play sports do not have credibility. Had to have a performance in a field. School and sports. I grew up in the land. On the Spataru street was a basketball backrest made ​​of us who have carried slag there. I am Armenian origin. And our community will team. We gave two cycling champions. Cycling is a sport very human. At the same time however, he organizes the toughest competitions. In all sports there are energy-intensive, but în  biking is huge. ”

Students mixed Armenian school in Bucharest in 45-46 years’ knew Norhadian and constantly watching , Sports Gazette, which were related developments we are proud our cyclist. Participation blown Romanian Cycling Tour our school animated our little hearts that we rescued Sports Gazette to read it first. Obviously, finding the place of Ervant the stage. Run with Marin Niculescu was something!

Iacob Vartan (Ararat, 16.01.2006) tells how before 1940, in Focsani High School student with the tutor, professor of economics and law, Hachik Boos, who was sporting association president Vrancea, took a few students passionate about cycling ,, including the narrator, and sat near the finish line of the tour riders Romania.

“Everyone watched anxiously as Romanian cyclists addition, there were some from France, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and the fight was very close.

At one point, one of the organizers announced through a megaphone that cyclists arrive. Leading the pack compact was a young man with a prominent nose and busily pedal to the finish. He was national champion of Romania, Ervant Norhadian.

Prof. Boos, who accompanied us began to shout “Bravo Ervant! Good boy! ”

Two students in our group who were higher in the last grade of high school, discussing:

-Great Norhadian cyclist is national champion for several years …

Is that so old Hacik personally knows?

I do not think, but he shouted “bravo Ervant” because he is Armenian as teacher as “.

Indeed, cycling was in high esteem then. Students being walked in briefcase with Miroir Sprint, where the first page were large photos of Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Geminiani, Bobet, Pelissier brothers, Eddy Merckx and others. Tour was a worldwide event. And the Romanian Cycling Tour awake attention of sports fans across the country for days, the duration of its deployment.

When he was only 17 years (1933), Ervant speed wins the race “Prince Nicholas” on ONEF. Later will highlight both the road race and the ones on the velodrome, pedaling RAPID club, cycling department in the years 1945-1953. In 1945, the national competition Norhadian fund ranks I. Since those years (1948) is the head coach of the cycling club Central House of the Army (CCA) 3 involving, among others, I. Ionita (n.1928) becomes one of Romania’s leading cyclists. Running in a bicycle race on the velodrome (1950) together with I. Ionita, I. Gociman, T. Stanescu, Norhadian achieved a record time of 2 ’31”10.

It’s hard to restore his participation Norhadian list of the various competitions that have brought many trophies. We will try to restore some highlights. Take Peace Race competition (Zilina, Czech Republic, in 1948, ranking 6). We should remind readers that the competing industries in general and especially an international one were taking part in dozens of cyclists (80-90 even more) and a six was considered more than respectable. Race was international and he ranks Warsaw 5. final in Warsaw in 1948, he is ranked 8 The following year, 1949, as noted, participate in Cycling Tour of Poland. Here it seats 10 (Wroczlaw) 10 (Katowice) 5 (Zakopane) and 9 (Krakow) at different stages of the race and the standings, overall 11th place.

In 1950 participates in the Tour of Romania. In general comes in 3rd place and next year, wins first title of National Champion in the individual fund road test.

Working for many years as coach of the Romanian national team and club cycling star participates in many races and competitions winning trophy after trophy. It is awarded twice sporting merit. He was active in 24 national and three international titles (B. Caush 1998 Andreea Dogar 2014)

A chronicle sports in 1952, dedicated Race Spark carried on the route Bucharest-Brasov and return notes “skill uphill cyclists E.Norhadian, M.Niculescu, N.Chicomban and Maxim”. Then chronicler continues: “At the exit of Ploiesti M.Niculescu split from the platoon leader were about 30 cyclists, creating and shortly a few hundred meters ahead. Leading the pack in an extremely fast, Norhadian manages to thwart his courageous action Niculescu. Before long, and trying to be spotted M.Niculescu, then P.Niţă and Maxim, but without result. Near Bucharest was given a new struggle between M.Niculescu and Norhadian who attacked the place which made the number of cyclists in the group leader to shrink. “(Spark, April 1952) .TO Norhadian remember that at that time was already 36 years old, an advanced age for an athlete. And Marin Niculescu was seven years younger …

From the press, we received at (thanks to Simon Tavitian, 2007, 295) an article known sports columnist Modesto Ferrarini, entitled În memoriam:

“Naturally, today’s generations do not know, may not have heard of him. He had a pure Armenian name ERVANT NORHADIAN-as was one of the most popular athletes of Romania in the years after the Second World War. It was a miraculously escaped Armenian Turkish pogroms, arrived in Romania, protected by a grandmother and mother, courageous women.

He loved to love cycling and has a physical iron became a performance bicycle component of the Romanian team. Sparkling personality was always on the crest of the waves, even if riding in the middle of the country’s leading riders from several generations. Legendary Marin Dumitrescu Constantin Şandru, Julian Gociman, Costică Cihodaru Gigi Dumitrescu, cousins Nae and Traian Chicomban fought with him on the road in the country and abroad, often defeated.

The Armenian not joking, he find, among other things, the best climber in cycling Romanian. She has the most beautiful and correct position on the bike is actually a teacher for many, which he learned how to pedal easy to breathe in race to divide your body weight in horses judiciously metal handlebars like the horns of a ram.

Bright, cheerful, open, was loved by all for his friendly nature, to understand how combat sports, fair play. He was friends with other riders to reach the hill or mountain, because there gushing alone and was difficult to be reached.

He founded the Department of cycling Army Central House, fought for its color, but its sensitive soul was wounded by ingratitude club which he had given the best years. Reason for leaving at a time overseas countries, USA.

What man and the love of country and there wear it away! It was enough to know that those who went to visit him were from Romania that he immediately hugged her, he thought she’s guests of honor.

In the fall of 1994, we, are here, I learned the sad news. Ervant left again, and this time the Americans escaping, like roads, single- in another world. No bike somewhere above the clouds. No two-wheeler was not him. ”

The emigration from the country  leaved a shadow of silence on his memory. This has happened to other athletes who have gone. They were deleted from Romanian sports history. Sports History Pompiliu Nicholas Constantine, in his doctoral thesis, defended at the Faculty of History, University of Bucharest shows that athletes who emigrated were deleted from Romanian sports history. One such example would be Angelica Rozeanu, multiple tennis champion and Olympic champion Romania in singles and doubles, and Leon Rotman canoeist who brought two gold medals Romania etc.

“Ervant Norhadian is a sportman which is not spoken today in Romania. It is a sportman of Armenian origin who left Romania in the 60s. In those times fleeing communism you were erased from the history books of the sport, the media did not mention, you are made ​​criminal. The security archives are many criminal cases of athletes who have remained abroad. 3-4-5 were sentenced to years in prison, they confiscated, says Constantine, who identified dozens of such cases. “Andreea Dogar writes in reference to the phrase sports history.

But in 2008, the post mortem of Ervant Norhadian be recognized what he did in Romania and is conferred distinction Honored Master of sport. 14 years after his death, by Order No. 411, the National Sports Agency 2 / 09.2008. Yet even today hardly anyone talks about it. But on many other cyclists as well. Cycling, once one of the sports great fame of Romania, today entered into obscurity, velodrome in Bucharest is fixed somewhat recently, the roads are like as its are, cyclists operating on fewer clubs and unsupported either by the media or by communicating the few competitions that you can set up at and Romanian Cycling Federation goes through a period indecisive.

20 years after his passing into eternity Ervant Norhadian, a tear and a flower on his modest tomb stone in California. And eyelash hope that someone will write a history of Romanian cycling where a page will be provided and to Ervant Norhadian.

Arpiar Sahaghian

Posted by MStepan on Oct 28 2014. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry