Ice dancers Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski were named Bulgaria's athletes of the year for 2006.

Denkova and Staviski became world champions in 2006, taking the gold in the Grand Prix finals in St Petersburg in December.

Sprinter Vanya Stambolova ranked second, Focus news agency reported.

Short track competitor Evgeniya Radanovas ranks fifth and the national volleyball team takes the seventh place, after it won bronze medals in the 2006 world championships.

In 2005 chess champion Vesselin Topalov became sportsperson of the year. Over the past a number of athletes have been awarded, among which gymnast Yordan Yovchev, shooting competitor Maria Grozdeva and triple jump competitor Tereza Marinova.