Achievements

2011- World Swimming Championships � China: 25 km � 1^st place

2011- Europien Swimming Championships � Israel: 25 km � 2^ed place

2011 � Winner of the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix

2010 � Winner of the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix

2010 � Inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame �

2009 � Winner of the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix

2009 � Inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame � Fort Lauderdale, FL

2008 � Winner of the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix

2008 � Olympic Games Beijing, China: 10 km � 6^th place

2008 � Olympic Games Beijing, China: flag bearer for the Bulgarian Olympic team

2007 � Holder of the world record for the fastest ever verified swim of the English Channel: 6 hours, 57 minutes and 50 seconds. The first swimmer to make the English Channel swim crossing in less than 7 hours.

2007 � Winner of the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix

2006 � Winner of the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup

2005 � World Swimming Championships � Montreal, Canada: 10 km � 3^rd place, 25 km � 3^rd place

2005 � Winner of the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup

2004 � Winner of the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup

2004 � Olympic Games Athens, Greece: 400 m freestyle and 1500 m freestyle

2004 � European Swimming Championships � Madrid, Spain: 25 km � 3^rd place

2003 � World Swimming Championships � Barcelona, Spain: 25 km � 3^rd place

2003 � Winner of the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup

2002 � Winner of the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup

2001 � Winner of the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup

2000 � FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup � 3 ^rd place;

2000 � World Championships Open Water Swimming – Honolulu, Hawaii: 10 km � 2^nd place, 5 km � 12^th place;

2000 � Olympic Games Sydney, Australia: 400 m freestyle � 35^th place, 1500 m freestyle � 30^th place;

2000 � European Championships, Helsinki, Finland: 1500 m freestyle � 10^th place, 5 km � 6^th place;

2000 � World Championships Short Course, Athens, Greece: 400 m freestyle � 16^th place, 1500 m freestyle � 11^th place;

1999 � FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup � 2^nd place;

1999 � European Championships, Istanbul, Turkey: 5 km � 9^th place, 25 km � 4^th place;

1995 � European Championships, Vienna, Austria: 5 km � 6^th place, 25 km � 12^th place;

1993 � Started marathon swimming: first event Ohrid, Macedonia – 2^nd place;

1993 � European Youths Championship: 1500 m freestyle – 2^nd place, 400 m freestyle – 3^rd place;

1992-2004 � Many times national champion and record holder: 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle;

1983 � Started swimming at the age of 6.