THE first Bulgarian cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov will be the first torch-carrier in Bulgaria, as part of the Olympic Torch Relay before its return to the Panathenian Stadium on August 13 for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
The torch passes through Sofia on July 7. Ivanov will start from the Kambanite area, just outside Sofia, and will run a distance of 400 meters. "I continue dreaming of another flight in space," he said. He dedicated the Olympic Torch Relay to his family. The last man to carry the torch in Sofia will be the Olympic and world champion in free-style wrestling Valentin Yordanov. He will carry the flame to the St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia.
The Bulgarian itinerary for the Olympic Torch Relay will include 25 selected torch-bearers of all professional backgrounds, and ages varying from 14 to 80. Each one of them embodies the Olympic spirit and has become an example to theirfamily, friends, colleagues or social group. There are 16 men and nine women from all over the country to take part in the Olympic Torch Relay. They come from varied walks of life.
The youngest torch bearer, Nora Todorova's father died when performing his police duty. Three of the selected torch carriers have been nominated by their spouses, these are Hristina Spasove (accountant), Georgi Karadjov (disabled after a bad car accident) and Hristo Androlov (pediatrician in the Plovidv intensive care ward). Peicho Manolov, a captain who has worked at the Sea Rescue Squad for 10 years.
TV presenter and musician Deo, along with other average people, like the English teacher Donka Djalalieva (49), the mother of four children, and Vladimir Penchev (55), who was nominated by one of his daughters. "Daddy is a good man and he taught me to believe in the good in people, to accept challenges and to look for the good side of life," his daughter said.
Ivan Yanev cannot see because of his impaired vision but says he sees with his heart. He is also part of the torch-carriers group. Veselin Stoilov (18), one of the first children from the SOS Kinderdorfen in Bulgaria, is a messenger of the goodwill in people.
The three Torch Relay sponsors include the Sofia Municipality, the Coca-Cola Company, who have been involved the Olympic Torch Relay since 1992, and Samsung. They jointly approved and appointed the names of the Bulgarian participants in this first international route.
A spectacular super-show will be organised in the evening of July 7 in front of the St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral ending the Torch's Relay in Sofia.
This year's international Olympic Torch Relay is the first one that is truly global, visiting 34 cities on all five continents - including Africa and South America for the first time in history. The Olympic Flame will return to Greece on July 9 to continue its journey through the country and arrive back after being in Beijing, Tokyo, New York, Amsterdam, Munich and Nicosia.
The flame, carried by more than 11 000 torch bearers, has the theme "pass the flame, unite the world".
For more information visit: WWW.OLYMPIC.ORG. (in English and French) and WWW.ATHENS2004.COM (the official web site for the Athens Games) can provide you with more information on the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
The torch passes through Sofia on July 7. Ivanov will start from the Kambanite area, just outside Sofia, and will run a distance of 400 meters. "I continue dreaming of another flight in space," he said. He dedicated the Olympic Torch Relay to his family. The last man to carry the torch in Sofia will be the Olympic and world champion in free-style wrestling Valentin Yordanov. He will carry the flame to the St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia.
The Bulgarian itinerary for the Olympic Torch Relay will include 25 selected torch-bearers of all professional backgrounds, and ages varying from 14 to 80. Each one of them embodies the Olympic spirit and has become an example to theirfamily, friends, colleagues or social group. There are 16 men and nine women from all over the country to take part in the Olympic Torch Relay. They come from varied walks of life.
The youngest torch bearer, Nora Todorova's father died when performing his police duty. Three of the selected torch carriers have been nominated by their spouses, these are Hristina Spasove (accountant), Georgi Karadjov (disabled after a bad car accident) and Hristo Androlov (pediatrician in the Plovidv intensive care ward). Peicho Manolov, a captain who has worked at the Sea Rescue Squad for 10 years.
TV presenter and musician Deo, along with other average people, like the English teacher Donka Djalalieva (49), the mother of four children, and Vladimir Penchev (55), who was nominated by one of his daughters. "Daddy is a good man and he taught me to believe in the good in people, to accept challenges and to look for the good side of life," his daughter said.
Ivan Yanev cannot see because of his impaired vision but says he sees with his heart. He is also part of the torch-carriers group. Veselin Stoilov (18), one of the first children from the SOS Kinderdorfen in Bulgaria, is a messenger of the goodwill in people.
The three Torch Relay sponsors include the Sofia Municipality, the Coca-Cola Company, who have been involved the Olympic Torch Relay since 1992, and Samsung. They jointly approved and appointed the names of the Bulgarian participants in this first international route.
A spectacular super-show will be organised in the evening of July 7 in front of the St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral ending the Torch's Relay in Sofia.
This year's international Olympic Torch Relay is the first one that is truly global, visiting 34 cities on all five continents - including Africa and South America for the first time in history. The Olympic Flame will return to Greece on July 9 to continue its journey through the country and arrive back after being in Beijing, Tokyo, New York, Amsterdam, Munich and Nicosia.
The flame, carried by more than 11 000 torch bearers, has the theme "pass the flame, unite the world".
For more information visit: WWW.OLYMPIC.ORG. (in English and French) and WWW.ATHENS2004.COM (the official web site for the Athens Games) can provide you with more information on the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
