FIGURE-SKATERS Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski won a silver medal and a place in figure skating history last week. The dance pair took the first medal for Bulgaria at a serious championship - the European Championship in Malmo, Sweden. The duo defended their second position in the compulsory and original programme, performing an effective and difficult routine. Denkova-Staviski were second only to the Russian couple Irina Lobachova and Ilia Averbukh.
Super-strong Russia gathered four gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. France took two silver and a bronze. With its single silver, Bulgaria ranked third in medals.
Denkova and Staviski have walked a long road to recognition. In the past two years, the biggest figure skating experts were confident that the first place in the compulsory and original programmes should go to them, but they lacked tradition. Judges were simply not ready to award a high value medal to figure skaters from Bulgaria. At the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City 2002, they were pushed to seventh place. The same happened at the first competitions of the World Cup late last year, but the couple continued to fight for their place at the top. In November last year, they won their first gold medal at the World Cup in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, which gave leeway for the silver in Malmo 2003.
Due credit should be given to the Russian school, where Staviski trained as a figure skater. The contribution of their Russian trainer Alexei Gorshkov is undisputable.
Staviski said open-heartedly, "I am a Bulgarian, because Bulgaria gave me the chance for a breakthrough." Denkova and Staviski have been competing together since 1996. Staviski, an ethnic Russian, acquired Bulgarian citizenship and their career developed from ninth place to second in Europe, from eleventh to fifth in the world, and from eighteenth to seventh at the Olympic Games. Experts are confident of their future.
Super-strong Russia gathered four gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. France took two silver and a bronze. With its single silver, Bulgaria ranked third in medals.
Denkova and Staviski have walked a long road to recognition. In the past two years, the biggest figure skating experts were confident that the first place in the compulsory and original programmes should go to them, but they lacked tradition. Judges were simply not ready to award a high value medal to figure skaters from Bulgaria. At the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City 2002, they were pushed to seventh place. The same happened at the first competitions of the World Cup late last year, but the couple continued to fight for their place at the top. In November last year, they won their first gold medal at the World Cup in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, which gave leeway for the silver in Malmo 2003.
Due credit should be given to the Russian school, where Staviski trained as a figure skater. The contribution of their Russian trainer Alexei Gorshkov is undisputable.
Staviski said open-heartedly, "I am a Bulgarian, because Bulgaria gave me the chance for a breakthrough." Denkova and Staviski have been competing together since 1996. Staviski, an ethnic Russian, acquired Bulgarian citizenship and their career developed from ninth place to second in Europe, from eleventh to fifth in the world, and from eighteenth to seventh at the Olympic Games. Experts are confident of their future.
