Career
He is credited as the first athlete to do a Tsukahara double twist. Akopyan received three scores of 10 at the 1981 World Championships in Moscow. His competitive career included the 1983 World vault title, in addition to three other World individual medals.
His past national team members include Mattie Larson and Samantha Shapiro.
He coaches at All Olympia Gymnastics Center in Los Angeles, California. Akopyan gained recognition in the United States after Bela Karolyi asked him to help gymnast Kim Zmeskal.
Within a couple of days, Akopyan was able to help Zmeskal with elements of her compulsory routine that she had been working on for a year.
