From 1986 till 1994: first trainer Ognyan Georfiev - with him I got one of my biggest successes in the swimming pool - second and third place at the European Junior Championships. Second at 1500m and third at 400m freestyle and at 1500m I broke two records - both junior’s and men’s.

From 1994 till 1998: Atanas Todorov was my next trainer during my student years in the city of Rousse.

From 1998 up to now: My trainer now - Krassimir Tumanov - with him I have achieved my biggest accomplishment so far, including 9 consecutive wins of a major international open water FINA series since 2001 (World Cup winner 2001-2006, Grand Prix winner 2007-2009), three-time Olympic swimmer for Bulgaria, flag bearer for the Bulgarian Olympic team in Beijing 2008, with more than 50 wins in individual swimming marathons, holder of the world record for crossing the English Channel and the first swimmer to make the crossing in less than 7 hours. I was recently inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.