World figure skating champions Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski returned to Bulgaria on April 2, after they won for the second time the world championship gold in Tokyo.

“The second medal is even more valuable for us,” Denkova said. “We managed to prove ourselves and to show our character, though we sometimes did not believe in victory.”

Head of the State Youth and Sports Agency Vessela Lecheva said that Denkova and Staviski’s title was major achievement for Bulgarian athletes.

Bulgarian Raya Bakalova, member of the panel of judges in the world championship in Tokyo, said that Denkova and Staviski’s performance was ‘brilliant.’

Denkova and Staviski’s free dance was the most impressive and the majority of judges saw them as the best pair competing, Bakalova said.