BULGARIA recently selected the national short track speed skating team to represent the country between January 17 and 19 at the European championship in Saint Petersburg in Russia.
The team includes two debutants - Yana Tsvetkova and Nikolai Stanchev. Leading the team is double Olympic medallist from Salt Lake City 2002, Evgenia Radanova, who will defend her title of absolute European champion from Grenoble 2002. The relay silver medallists from the same championship, Anna Krusteva, Daniela Vlaeva and Marina Georgieva will complete the team. The brothers Kiril and Assen Pandovi, sons of the senior trainer of the team, Ivan Pandov, have the best chances of winning. Miroslav Boiadjiev, Liubomir Popovski and debutant Stanchev will gain experience for the much-anticipated World Short Track Speed Skating Championship that will take place on March 15 in Sofia.
Most of the team will depart for Russia on January 13, while Radanova will leave for Saint Petersburg from Italy. Assen Pandov and his father, Ivan Pandov will travel from Budapest, where, between January 10 and 12, the Junior World Short Track Speed Skating Championship is taking place. The Bulgarian female team for this event consists of Gergana Patsova, Milena Popovska and Galina Manuilova. The male team comprises Assen Pandov, Teodor Yotov and Assen Yordanov. On her departure on January 4 to Italy, Radanova told journalists, "Over the new year, I will need much health and luck. I really wish to be with my friends more often, because in Italy I feel lonely, although the conditions for preparation are far better. Now, however, it is much more important to develop as a competitor and for this reason I will sacrifice my personal life. I hope that in Saint Petersburg, I will defend my European title."
In fact, in less than three weeks after the European Championship in Saint Petersburg, the 26-year-old Sofian will have to defend her position as leader in the rankings for the World Cup between February 7 and 9, again on the same ice.
The team includes two debutants - Yana Tsvetkova and Nikolai Stanchev. Leading the team is double Olympic medallist from Salt Lake City 2002, Evgenia Radanova, who will defend her title of absolute European champion from Grenoble 2002. The relay silver medallists from the same championship, Anna Krusteva, Daniela Vlaeva and Marina Georgieva will complete the team. The brothers Kiril and Assen Pandovi, sons of the senior trainer of the team, Ivan Pandov, have the best chances of winning. Miroslav Boiadjiev, Liubomir Popovski and debutant Stanchev will gain experience for the much-anticipated World Short Track Speed Skating Championship that will take place on March 15 in Sofia.
Most of the team will depart for Russia on January 13, while Radanova will leave for Saint Petersburg from Italy. Assen Pandov and his father, Ivan Pandov will travel from Budapest, where, between January 10 and 12, the Junior World Short Track Speed Skating Championship is taking place. The Bulgarian female team for this event consists of Gergana Patsova, Milena Popovska and Galina Manuilova. The male team comprises Assen Pandov, Teodor Yotov and Assen Yordanov. On her departure on January 4 to Italy, Radanova told journalists, "Over the new year, I will need much health and luck. I really wish to be with my friends more often, because in Italy I feel lonely, although the conditions for preparation are far better. Now, however, it is much more important to develop as a competitor and for this reason I will sacrifice my personal life. I hope that in Saint Petersburg, I will defend my European title."
In fact, in less than three weeks after the European Championship in Saint Petersburg, the 26-year-old Sofian will have to defend her position as leader in the rankings for the World Cup between February 7 and 9, again on the same ice.
