Background
Levon Julfalakyan was born in Leninakan Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (now Gyumri, Armenia).
Levon Julfalakyan was born in Leninakan Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (now Gyumri, Armenia).
Levon attended gymnastics sections from an early age, then started wrestling in Gyumri Youth Academy. He graduated from Gyumri State Pedagogical Institute.
Julfalakyan was merited Honoured Master of Sports of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics in 1988. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Julfalakyan competed in the weight category of 68 kg. Julfalakyan was very dominant in all of his matches and defeated every opponent by a wide margin of points.
He decided to retire from wrestling afterward.
After retiring from competitions Julfalakyan worked as a wrestling coach. In 1999 he became the head coach of the Armenian national Greco-Roman wrestling team and president of the Union of Armenian Olympians.
Julfalakyan was also president of the Armenian Olympians Association.
In 1983, he won the junior championship of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. Julfalakyan joined the Soviet national wrestling team in 1985 and, in that same year, won a gold medal at the FILA Wrestling World Cup team competition. Julfalakyan later became a European Champion when he won a gold medal at the 1986 Wrestling European Championships. Four months later, Julfalakyan also became a World Champion by winning a gold medal at the 1986 FILA Wrestling World Championships. Julfalakyan was awarded an Olympic gold medal for his victory. A year prior to becoming an Olympic Champion, Julfalakyan came in third place at the 1989 FILA Wrestling World Championships. He won an Olympic silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London for Armenia and carried the national flag at the closing ceremony.
In 2002 he was appointed as vice-president of the Armenian Wrestling Federation, and next year became a member of the Executive Committee of the NOC.
