Granite City hosts successful 2026 Midwest Junior Olympics
One of the Midwest AYF’s most anticipated traditions returned this summer as the Granite City “Antranig” Chapter hosted the 2026 Midwest Junior Olympics on July 10-11. Members and families from the region’s four chapters — Detroit, Chicago, Racine and Granite City — came together for another memorable weekend of Ungeragan spirit and camaraderie. Despite the distance separating the chapters, Junior Olympics continues to serve as an opportunity to strengthen friendships, celebrate shared traditions and bring together the next generation of AYF members.
The weekend kicked off on Friday evening with a welcome picnic at Township Park in Edwardsville, where attendees enjoyed a variety of food, including St. Louis favorites like toasted ravioli. Juniors played soccer at the park, and the event ended just before rain started to pour. On Saturday, the competition began at Triad Track in Troy, where athletes represented their chapters in various track and field events. Rain continued in the morning, but the events were squeezed into some dry time later in the day as more inclement weather was incoming. From exciting races to impressive performances on the field, athletes demonstrated determination, sportsmanship and chapter pride as families and fellow AYF members cheered them on.
Following the day’s competition, members and families gathered at the St. Gregory Armenian Community Center for the traditional Victory Dance. The Nigosian Band once again provided an amazing evening of Armenian music and dancing, bringing the weekend’s festivities to a lively close.
This year’s final standings saw a shake-up from previous years, with Detroit taking a commanding first-place victory with 119 points. The race for second place was much closer, as Granite City edged out Racine by just one point, finishing with 66 points to Racine’s 65. Chicago rounded out the standings in fourth place with 56 points.
This year’s high scorers were:
- Younger Girls: Alina Sarafian (Detroit), Viola Fitzgerald (Detroit)
- Younger Boys: Viken Zulkiewski Karapetian (Detroit), Dominic Giovando (Granite City)
- Older Girls: Ani Sarafian (Detroit)
- Older Boys: Nick Varadian (Granite City)
The AYF-YOARF congratulates all the high scorers and athletes who participated in this year’s games. The Granite City “Antranig” Chapter extends its gratitude to the families, volunteers and supporters who helped make the weekend possible, as well as to the visiting chapters who traveled to participate.
More than just an athletic competition, Midwest Junior Olympics remains a cherished tradition that brings together Armenian youth from communities spread across the region. As another successful year comes to a close, we hope that the friendships formed, memories made and spirit of friendly competition will continue to inspire new generations of Midwest AYF members to carry this tradition forward for years to come.
