Bulgaria at the 2018 Winter Paralympics facts for kids
The country of Bulgaria sent an athlete to compete in the 2018 Winter Paralympics. These Games took place in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Bulgaria's only athlete was a para-Nordic skier named Svetoslav Georgiev. He had competed in the Paralympics before. In 2014, he finished 16th in a 1 km sprint race.
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Bulgaria's Team
For the 2018 Winter Paralympics, Bulgaria sent just one athlete. This athlete was Svetoslav Georgiev, a skier who is blind. The head of the Bulgarian Paralympic Association, Iliya Lalov, said they did not expect to win medals. Bulgaria is usually strong in Summer Paralympics. However, they are not as strong in winter sports like skiing.
The table below shows the athlete who represented Bulgaria at the 2018 Games.
| Name | Sport | Gender | Classification | Events | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Svetoslav Georgiev | para-Nordic skiing | male | B3 |
Paralympic History
Bulgaria has never won a medal at the Winter Paralympics. The country sent two athletes to the 2014 Winter Paralympics. Before that, three athletes went to the 2010 Winter Paralympics. The team in 2010 included Joana Ermenkova, Alexander Stoyanov, and Ivan Vatov.
About Svetoslav Georgiev
His Skiing Career
Svetoslav Georgiev had competed in the Paralympics before 2018. In 2014, he finished 16th in a 1 km sprint race. This was two spots better than another Bulgarian skier, Jelez Kolev, in the same race. His best international ranking was 27th, which he achieved in 2014. In January 2018, his most recent ranking was 36th.
Early Life and Training
Georgiev is part of the National Sports Academy Ski Club. His coach is Ivan Birnikov. When he was a child, his father encouraged him to play sports. He started skiing when he was only 7 years old. He began competing in international events in 2011. Svetoslav was also the flag bearer for Bulgaria at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. He has also represented Bulgaria in para-athletics.
