The 59th annual AYF-YOARF Midwest Junior Olympics
A weekend of competition and community in Chicago
The spirit of athleticism and camaraderie was on full display at the 59th annual AYF-YOARF Midwest Junior Olympics, held July 11–12 and hosted by the AYF Chicago “Ararat” Chapter. Junior members from across the Midwest—including Detroit, Racine, Granite City and Chicago—came together for a weekend packed with friendly competition, community bonding and cherished traditions.
The festivities began Friday evening with a welcome dinner at Armenian All Saints Apostolic Church in Glenview, Illinois. Athletes, alumni and families gathered to enjoy delicious food, lively music and the joy of reuniting with old friends while making new connections.
Saturday morning marked the beginning of the games at Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Brimming with energy and pride, 58 athletes stepped onto the field representing their chapters, ready to give it their all.
The official opening ceremony followed the first round of track and field events. Athletes paraded in with pride, welcomed by enthusiastic introductions, anthems and words of encouragement from Der Samuel Ajemian and AYF “Ararat” Executive member U. Karoon Krikorian. The traditional kiddie race, a beloved event for future AYFers, brought smiles to younger siblings eager to join the fun. With that, the final sprints and relays took off, showcasing determination, teamwork and sportsmanship across the board.
Granite City dominated the long-distance events, while Racine showed exceptional speed in the shorter races. The afternoon ended with the excitement of the relays. After all events were completed, the medal ceremony began as the top three scorers for each event took the podium to cheers from their teammates and families.
That evening, the celebrations continued with the Victory Dance at the church hall in Glenview, featuring live performances by Hye Vibes. With the hall packed, athletes and alumni danced the night away. Dinner was generously donated by community members, including the ARS Chicago “Zabelle” Chapter.
As the night continued, standout athletes were recognized with trophies and spirit awards. Chapter placement trophies were awarded, but not before the presentation of two meaningful honors.
The Tina Peltekian Sportsmanship Award, presented in memory of Chicago “Ararat” member Tina Peltekian, who passed away from cancer, was awarded to Alec Vartanian by Tina’s sister, Sarah Forsyth.
The Uncle Herman Sportsmanship Award, named for longtime Detroit ARF advisor Herman Torigian, was presented by Al Sarafian to Mourad Bagdasarian for his dedication and positivity throughout the games.
Then came the long-awaited moment—the final scores:
- First place: Chicago, bouncing back from last year’s third-place finish with a dominant 154 points
- Second place: Detroit, delivering an impressive performance with 97 points
- Third place: Racine, with a strong showing at 71 points
- Fourth place: Granite City with 23 points
The night concluded with traditional chapter dances—each greeted with enthusiastic applause and generous donations from the audience—celebrating the unity and spirit of the AYF family.
Weekend high scorers included:
- Younger girls: Ani Sarafian, AYF Detroit “Kopernik Tandourjian” Chapter
- Older girls: Maryam Shant, AYF Chicago “Ararat” Chapter
- Younger boys: Samuel Mehrabian, AYF Chicago “Ararat” Chapter
- Older boys: Remy Kako, AYF Chicago “Ararat” Chapter
As the weekend came to a close, Juniors reflected on their experiences:
“Junior Olympics is always really fun to get to interact with people from different chapters and compete together as friends.”—U. Lucine Gelenian, AYF Racine “Armen Garo” Chapter
“The event itself was pretty fun. I was the only one doing the mile, so it guaranteed me first place—no matter how fast I ran! Even though it was SUPER hot. The party after was amazing. The music and the dancing were the best part!”—U. Lena Hakobian, AYF Chicago “Ararat” Chapter
“My favorite part was spending time with old and new friends and family from out of time. It is important to be a part of the event because you can meet new friends from other chapters.”—U. Dominic Giovando, AYF Granite City “Antranig” Chapter
“I enjoyed seeing all of my friends and participating with them. I hope that everyone keeps attending and staying true to their culture.”—U. Mourad Bagdasarian, AYF Detroit “Kopernik Tandourjian” Chapter
“I had the best time at my first Junior Olympics weekend while competing against other chapters, making long lasting friendships and memories. I can’t wait for next year!”—U. Nairi Amerazian, AYF Chicago “Ararat” Chapter
“Junior Olympics this year was definitely one of my favorites yet. I was able to earn my first few medals for the first time in three years! Overall, Junior Olympics itself is an amazing experience and I look forward to more to come.”—U. Nico Litton, AYF Racine “Armen Garo” Chapter
“My favorite part was the dance. Dancing is important to carry on our culture.”—U. Cece Giovando, AYF Granite City “Antranig” Chapter
“I had a great time this weekend—seeing my friends from all over the Midwest on Friday and Saturday was a highlight. The competition was exciting, and the turnout at the dance was incredible.”—U. Eli Vartanian, AYF Chicago “Ararat” Chapter
“I had lots of fun this weekend, hanging out with all of my friends. I had lots of fun at the track and dance.”—U. Ani Sarafian, AYF Detroit “Kopernik Tandourjian” Chapter
The weekend could not have run as smoothly without the dedicated support of our alumni who helped set up heats and run events, the invaluable guidance of Central Athletic Council members U. Armen Surenian and U. Mel Sarafian, and the hard work of our host chapter, AYF Chicago “Ararat,” in welcoming everyone to this year’s games.
The 59th Midwest Junior Olympics was not only a celebration of athletic achievement but a shining example of what makes the AYF community so special: friendship, pride and tradition.
