In winning an 800 metres medal at the 1972 European Indoor Championships, she was a part of a strong tradition of Bulgarian 800 metres runners, who won medals at the European Indoor Championships in 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979. Other than Zlateva, these medals were taken by Stefka Yordanova, Rositsa Pekhlivanova, Nikolina Shtereva, Lilyana Tomova and Totka Petrova.