Two Bulgarian swimmers ranked in the Top 3 of the outdoor marathon swimming for the first time in history.

Petar Stoichev and the 22-year-old Tihomir Ivanchev landed in the top three on the morning of October 14 2007 during the last Grand Prix in 15km swimming marathon in the Mexican city Chiapas, Focus news agency reported.

Stoichev finished third, but he had already won a record-breaking seventh title two rounds earlier. Ivanchev was third in the provisional ranking. He finished 12th, but that was enough to keep his third place.

Krasimir Tumanov, coach of Stoichev and Ivanchev, told Focus that he was very pleased and proud with the achievement of the swimmers.

Stoichev would stay in Mexico to take part in 10km short-distance swimming in Cancun.