Biurakn Hakhverdian
(born October 4, 1985 in Leiden) is an Iranian-Armenian waterpolo
player of the Netherlands
who represents the Dutch national team in
international competitions. She is from Armenian descent.
Hakhverdian
was born in Leiden, where she began her waterpolo career playing for
Zwem Vereniging Leiden (ZVL - Swimming Foundation Leiden). In 2000,
Hakhverdian rose to national level as she was selected for the national
Dutch junior women's team. Two years later, she became the captain of
the Dutch national junior women's team.
Since 2004, she has been
playing for the Dutch national senior women's team. In 2005,
Hakhverdian stopped playing for ZVL and signed a contract with Ethnikos
Piraeus (Athens, Greece), but returned within three months after
internal mismanagement. Upon her return to the Netherlands, Hakhverdian
signed a contract with Polar Bears and has been playing for them since.
She was part of the Dutch team that became 10th at the 2005 World
Aquatics Championships in Montreal. At the 2006 FINA Women's Water Polo
World League in Cosenza and the 2006 Women's European Water Polo
Championship in Belgrade they finished in fifth place, followed by the
9th spot at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships in Melbourne. The
Dutch team finished in fifth place at the 2008 Women's European Water
Polo Championship in Malaga and they qualified for the 2008 Summer
Olympics in Beijing. There they ended up winning the gold medal on
August 21, beating the United States 9-8 in the final.