# Bulgaria at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Bulgaria competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012. It was the nation's nineteenth appearance at the Summer Olympics, having missed the Olympics on three occasions, including the 1948 Summer Olympics in London due to the nation's role in World War II and 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles because of the Soviet boycott. Despite this being London's third Olympic Games, this was the first time a Bulgarian team appeared at a London Olympics. The Bulgarian Olympic Committee sent the nation's smallest delegation to the Games, tying the record with Helsinki in 1952, and with Tokyo in 1964. A total of 63 athletes, 36 men and 27 women, competed in 16 sports. Men's volleyball was the only team event in which Bulgaria was represented in these Olympic games. There was only a single competitor in badminton, sprint canoeing, fencing, and judo.
The Bulgarian team featured three Olympic medalists from Beijing in freestyle wrestling: Stanka Zlateva, who won the silver, Radoslav Velikov and Kiril Terziev, who both won the bronze. Among these medalists, only Zlateva managed to repeat her silver medal in London, losing out to Russia's Natalia Vorobieva in the final match. Two Bulgarian athletes, on the other hand, made their sixth Olympic appearance: pistol shooter, two-time gold medalist, and former Olympic record holder Maria Grozdeva, and rings gymnast and multiple-time Olympic medalist Yordan Yovchev, who was also the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
Bulgaria, however, failed to win the gold medal for the first time since 1952, after achieving poor athletic performance at these Olympic games. Only three medals were awarded to the athletes, including the bronze medal won by heavyweight boxer Tervel Pulev.

## Medalists

| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
| Silver | Stanka Zlateva | Wrestling | Women's freestyle 72 kg | 9 August |
| Silver | Milka Maneva | Weightlifting | Women's 63 kg | 31 July |
| Bronze | Tervel Pulev | Boxing | Men's heavyweight | 10 August |

## Archery

| Athlete | Event | Ranking round | Ranking round | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Score | Seed | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank |
| Yavor Hristov | Men's individual | 663 | 35 | Álvarez (MEX) (30) L 0–6 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Athletics

Bulgarian athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard):
In May 2012, the Bulgarian athletics federation announced a two-year ban for Inna Eftimova after testing positive for somatotropin at the World Championships held in August 2011 in Daegu, South Korea. As a consequence of the ban she will miss the 2012 London Olympics.

### Key

* Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
* Q = Qualified for the next round
* q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
* NR = National record
* N/A = Round not applicable for the event
* Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

### Field events

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Distance | Position | Distance | Position |
| Georgi Ivanov | Shot put | 19.63 | 22 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Viktor Ninov | High jump | 2.16 | =28 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Track & road events

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Quarterfinal | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank |
| Silvia Danekova | 3000 m steeplechase | 9:59.52 | 11 | — | — | — | — | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Ivet Lalova | 100 m | Bye | Bye | 11.06 | 2 Q | 11.31 | 6 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Ivet Lalova | 200 m | 23.01 | 5 q | — | — | 22.98 | 6 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Vanya Stambolova | 400 m hurdles | DNF | DNF | — | — | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Field events

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Distance | Position | Distance | Position |
| Andriana Banova | Triple jump | 13.33 | 32 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Radoslava Mavrodieva | Shot put | NM | — | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Venelina Veneva | High jump | 1.85 | =20 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Badminton

Bulgaria have won 1 quota for the women's singles competition.
| Athlete | Event | Group Stage | Group Stage | Group Stage | Elimination | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank |
| Petya Nedelcheva | Women's singles | Zaitsava (BLR) W 21–7, 21–19 | Firdasari (INA) L 10–21, 15–21 | 2 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Boxing

Bulgaria has so far qualified boxers for the following events

### Men

| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Aleksandar Aleksandrov | Light flyweight | Máquina (MOZ) W 22–7 | Shin J-H (KOR) W 15–14 | Pongprayoon (THA) L 10–16 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Detelin Dalakliev | Bantamweight | Sonjica (RSA) W 15–6 | Balla (AUS) W 14–10 | Campbell (GBR) L 15–16 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Tervel Pulev | Heavyweight | — | Wang (CHN) W 10–7 | Peralta (ARG) W 13–10 | Usyk (UKR) L 5–21 | Did not advance | |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Stoyka Petrova | Flyweight | Fernandes (NZL) W 23–11 | Adams (GBR) L 7–16 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Canoeing
### Sprint

Bulgaria has gained a quota place for the following sprint event;
| Athlete | Event | Heats | Heats | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Miroslav Kirchev | Men's K-1 1000 m | 3:30.768 | 3 Q | 3:30.818 | 5 FB | 3:33.051 | 11 |
Qualification Legend: FA = Qualify to final (medal); FB = Qualify to final B (non-medal)

## Cycling
### Road

| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank |
| Spas Gyurov | Men's road race | Did not finish | Did not finish |
| Danail Petrov | Men's road race | 5:46:37 | 61 |

## Fencing

Bulgaria has qualified 1 fencer.

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank |
| Margarita Tschomakova | Individual sabre | Kharlan (UKR) L 8–15 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Gymnastics
### Artistic
#### Men

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | F | PH | R | V | PB | HB | Total | Rank | F | PH | R | V | PB | HB | Total | Rank |
| Yordan Yovchev | Rings | — | — | 15.308 | — | — | — | 15.308 | 8 Q | — | — | 15.108 | — | — | — | 15.108 | 7 |

#### Women

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | F | V | UB | BB | Total | Rank | F | V | UB | BB | Total | Rank |
| Ralitsa Mileva | All-around | 12.200 | 13.200 | 10.966 | 12.066 | 48.432 | 56 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Rhythmic

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Hoop | Ball | Clubs | Ribbon | Total | Rank | Hoop | Ball | Clubs | Ribbon | Total | Rank |
| Silvia Miteva | Individual | 27.700 | 27.800 | 27.325 | 28.100 | 110.925 | 4 Q | 27.450 | 27.100 | 26.750 | 27.650 | 108.950 | 8 |
| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | 5 balls | 3 ribbons 2 hoops | Total | Rank | 5 balls | 3 ribbons 2 hoops | Total | Rank |
| Reneta Kamberova Mihaela Maevska Tsvetelina Naydenova Elena Todorova Hristiana Todorova Katrin Velkova | Team | 27.250 | 27.375 | 54.625 | 4 Q | 27.950 | 26.425 | 54.375 | 6 |

## Judo

Bulgaria have won 1 quota for the men's competition
| Athlete | Event | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Martin Ivanov | Men's −66 kg | Bye | Lim (KAZ) L 0001–0101 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Sailing

Bulgaria has qualified 1 boat for each of the following events

### Men

| Athlete | Event | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Net points | Final rank |
| Athlete | Event | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | M* | Net points | Final rank |
| Yoan Kolev | RS:X | 29 | 31 | 39 | 16 | 20 | 35 | 26 | 19 | 19 | 8 | EL | 207 | 26 |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Race | Net points | Final rank |
| Athlete | Event | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | M* | Net points | Final rank |
| Irina Konstantinova-Bontemps | RS:X | 23 | 22 | 15 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 24 | 21 | EL | 180 | 22 |
M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race;

## Shooting

Bulgaria has gained four quota places in the shooting events;

### Men

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank | Points | Rank |
| Anton Rizov | 50 m rifle 3 positions | 1162 | 24 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Anton Rizov | 50 m rifle prone | 588 | 42 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Anton Rizov | 10 m air rifle | 593 | 22 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank | Points | Rank |
| Antoaneta Boneva | 25 m pistol | 582 | 10 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Antoaneta Boneva | 10 m air pistol | 384 | 9 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Mariya Grozdeva | 25 m pistol | 384 | 9 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Mariya Grozdeva | 10 m air pistol | 378 | 24 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Petya Lukanova | 50 m rifle 3 positions | 577 | 30 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Petya Lukanova | 10 m air rifle | 392 | 40 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Swimming

Bulgarian swimmers have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following events (up to a maximum of 2 swimmers in each event at the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT), and 1 at the Olympic Selection Time (OST)):

### Men

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Ventsislav Aydarski | 1500 m freestyle | 15.34.86 | 28 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Petar Stoychev | 10 km open water | — | — | 1:50:46.2 | 9 |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Ekaterina Avramova | 100 m backstroke | 1:02.20 | 31 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Ekaterina Avramova | 200 m backstroke | 2:15.44 | 32 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Nina Rangelova | 100 m freestyle | 55.52 | 24 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Nina Rangelova | 200 m freestyle | 1:59.21 | 19 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Nina Rangelova | 400 m freestyle | 4:11.71 | 23 | — | — | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Tennis

| Athlete | Event | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank |
| Grigor Dimitrov | Men's singles | Kubot (POL) W 6–3, 7–6$^{(7–4)}$ | Simon (FRA) L 3–6, 3–6 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Tsvetana Pironkova | Women's singles | Cibulková (SVK) W 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 6–2 | Pennetta (ITA) L 5–7, 1–6 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Volleyball

Bulgaria's men's volleyball team have secured place in the Olympic tournament.

### Men's indoor tournament
#### Team roster

The following is the Bulgarian roster in the men's volleyball tournament of the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Head coach: Nayden Naydenov
| № | Name | Date of birth | Height | Weight | Spike | Block | 2012 club |
| 1 | Georgi Bratoev | (1987-10-21) October 21, 1987 (age 36) | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 335 cm (132 in) | 318 cm (125 in) | Levski Volley |
| 7 | Todor Skrimov | 9 January 1990 | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 82 kg (181 lb) | 340 cm (130 in) | 310 cm (120 in) | Paris Volley |
| 9 | Dobromir Dimitrov | 7 July 1991 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | 81 kg (179 lb) | 342 cm (135 in) | 322 cm (127 in) | Pirin Balkanstroy |
| 10 | Valentin Bratoev | 21 October 1987 | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) | 87 kg (192 lb) | 335 cm (132 in) | 315 cm (124 in) | Argos Volley |
| 11 | Vladimir Nikolov (C) | 3 October 1977 | 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Copra Volley |
| 12 | Viktor Yosifov | 16 October 1985 | 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Pallavolo Modena |
| 13 | Teodor Salparov (L) | 16 August 1982 | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | 73 kg (161 lb) | 320 cm (130 in) | 305 cm (120 in) | VC CSKA Sofia |
| 14 | Teodor Todorov | 1 September 1989 | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) | 94 kg (207 lb) | 365 cm (144 in) | 345 cm (136 in) | Gazprom-Yugra Surgut |
| 15 | Todor Aleksiev | 21 April 1983 | 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) | 96 kg (212 lb) | 347 cm (137 in) | 327 cm (129 in) | Gazprom-Yugra Surgut |
| 17 | Nikolay Penchev | 22 August 1992 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | 85 kg (187 lb) | 335 cm (132 in) | 320 cm (130 in) | Copra Volley |
| 18 | Nikolay Nikolov | 29 July 1986 | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 332 cm (131 in) | Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia |
| 19 | Tsvetan Sokolov | 31 December 1989 | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) | 108 kg (238 lb) | 362 cm (143 in) | 319 cm (126 in) | Itas Diatec Trentino |

#### Group play

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR |
| 1 | Bulgaria | 5 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 4 | 3.250 | 407 | 390 | 1.044 |
| 2 | Poland | 5 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 1.571 | 433 | 374 | 1.158 |
| 3 | Argentina | 5 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 1.429 | 382 | 367 | 1.041 |
| 4 | Italy | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 1.111 | 426 | 413 | 1.031 |
| 5 | Australia | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 0.800 | 395 | 397 | 0.995 |
| 6 | Great Britain | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.000 | 274 | 376 | 0.729 |

#### Bronze medal game
## Weightlifting

Bulgaria has qualified the following quota places.
| Athlete | Event | Snatch | Snatch | Clean & Jerk | Clean & Jerk | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Total | Rank |
| Ivan Markov | Men's −85 kg | 172 | 3 | 203 | 6 | 375 | 4 |
| Milka Maneva | Women's −63 kg | 102 | 5 | 131 | 3 | 233 | |

## Wrestling

Bulgaria has secured 9 quota places.
Key:
* VT – Victory by Fall.
* PP – Decision by Points – the loser with technical points.
* PO – Decision by Points – the loser without technical points.

### Men's freestyle

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Round of 16 | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Repechage 1 | Repechage 2 | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Radoslav Velikov | −55 kg | Noev (TJK) W 3–0 $^{PO}$ | Khinchegashvili (GEO) L 1–3 $^{PP}$ | Did not advance | Did not advance | Farag (EGY) W 3–0 $^{PO}$ | Kumar (IND) W 3–0 $^{PO}$ | S Yumoto (JPN) L 1–3 $^{PP}$ | 5 |
| Anatolie Guidea | −60 kg | Dutt (IND) L 1–3 $^{PP}$ | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | 13 |
| Leonid Bazan | −66 kg | Bye | Hasanov (AZE) L 1–3 $^{PP}$ | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | 14 |
| Kiril Terziev | −74 kg | Bye | Goudarzi (IRI) L 1–3 $^{PP}$ | Did not advance | Did not advance | Bye | Tigiev (UZB) L 0–3 $^{PO}$ | Did not advance | 15 |

### Men's Greco-Roman

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Round of 16 | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Repechage 1 | Repechage 2 | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Aleksandar Kostadinov | −55 kg | Bye | Li Sj (CHN) L 1–3 $^{PP}$ | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | 12 |
| Ivo Angelov | −60 kg | Coleman (USA) W 3–1 $^{PP}$ | Norouzi (IRI) L 0–3 $^{PO}$ | Did not advance | Did not advance | Sheng J (CHN) W 3–1 $^{PP}$ | Kebispayev (KAZ) L 0–3 $^{PO}$ | Did not advance | 7 |
| Hristo Marinov | −84 kg | Bye | Gadzhiyev (KAZ) L 0–3 $^{PO}$ | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | 18 |
| Elis Guri | −96 kg | Alexuc-Ciurariu (ROU) W 3–0 $^{PO}$ | Jabidze (GEO) W 3–1 $^{PP}$ | Dzeinichenka (BLR) L 0–3 $^{PO}$ | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | 7 |

### Women's freestyle

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Round of 16 | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Repechage 1 | Repechage 2 | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Stanka Zlateva | −72 kg | Marzaliuk (BLR) W 3–0 $^{PO}$ | Fransson (SWE) W 3–0 $^{PO}$ | Ali (CMR) W 3–1 $^{PP}$ | Unda (ESP) W 3–0 $^{PO}$ | Bye | Bye | Vorobieva (RUS) L 0–5 $^{VT}$ | |