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.