site.btaBozhidar Andreev: the Long Road to a Gold Medal
NW 16:02:02 13-05-2019
LN1600NW.117
117 SPORTS - WEIGHTLIFTING - BOZHIDAR ANDREEV
Bozhidar Andreev:
the Long Road
to a Gold Medal
Sofia, April 11 (BTA) - Bulgarian Bozhidar Andreev became the European weightlifting champion in the newly established category of 73 kg at the European Weightlifting Championships, held in Batumi on April 9. Two days later, bTV reported on the athlete's journey from growing up in poverty with his Roma family to fulfilling his dream.
At the Championship, Andreev not only won the gold, but also set a European record for men in the clean and jerk of 192 kg. The last time Bulgaria won the European title in weightlifting was in 2014 in Tel Aviv. He took bronze in the snatch with an achievement of 153 kg.
Three years ago, Andreev considered leaving Bulgaria because he had no roof over his head, bTV said. The young weightlifter lived in the dormitory of the Sports School in the southeastern town of Sliven, but after graduation he had leave and was unable to afford a new place. The Sliven Municipality could not support his request for assistance, so he slept in a small room in the gym he trained at. Around that time, the weightlifter received a bid of USD 250,000 to compete for Azerbaijan.
Fortunately, the President of Staven Sports Academy, Lachezar Temelkov, intervened by offering an apartment to Andreev free of charge for the next Olympic cycle. He supported Andreev and his coach Plamen Bratoichev because he did not want Bulgaria to lose yet another talented athlete.
Bozhidar Andreev's troubles coincided with a period of almost three years when he did not train with the national team for various reasons, the most significant one being that the leadership of the Federation did not allow his coach Plamen Bratoichev to travel with him to competitions.
In 2017, Andreev even contemplated giving up the sport entirely. However, around that time, the Federation contacted him after failing to put up a strong team for the Anaheim 2017 World Cup. He officially returned to the team in 2018.
Immediately after returning, Andreev won the gold for men up to 23 years of age in the 77 kg category at the European Championship in Zamosh, Poland. Later in the year, Andreev ranked ninth at the World Cup in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) with 335 kg in the 73 kg category, BTV said.
Bozhidar Andreev was discovered by Sliven coach Plamen Bratoichev in his native village of Topolchane in 2011.
After Batumi, Andreev is ambitious to win an Olympic quota for the next World Cup in Tokyo in 2020 and is ready to give his best to represent Bulgaria, his coach, his family and all those who believe in him, said bTV. LN/ DT
//
LN1600NW.117
117 SPORTS - WEIGHTLIFTING - BOZHIDAR ANDREEV
Bozhidar Andreev:
the Long Road
to a Gold Medal
Sofia, April 11 (BTA) - Bulgarian Bozhidar Andreev became the European weightlifting champion in the newly established category of 73 kg at the European Weightlifting Championships, held in Batumi on April 9. Two days later, bTV reported on the athlete's journey from growing up in poverty with his Roma family to fulfilling his dream.
At the Championship, Andreev not only won the gold, but also set a European record for men in the clean and jerk of 192 kg. The last time Bulgaria won the European title in weightlifting was in 2014 in Tel Aviv. He took bronze in the snatch with an achievement of 153 kg.
Three years ago, Andreev considered leaving Bulgaria because he had no roof over his head, bTV said. The young weightlifter lived in the dormitory of the Sports School in the southeastern town of Sliven, but after graduation he had leave and was unable to afford a new place. The Sliven Municipality could not support his request for assistance, so he slept in a small room in the gym he trained at. Around that time, the weightlifter received a bid of USD 250,000 to compete for Azerbaijan.
Fortunately, the President of Staven Sports Academy, Lachezar Temelkov, intervened by offering an apartment to Andreev free of charge for the next Olympic cycle. He supported Andreev and his coach Plamen Bratoichev because he did not want Bulgaria to lose yet another talented athlete.
Bozhidar Andreev's troubles coincided with a period of almost three years when he did not train with the national team for various reasons, the most significant one being that the leadership of the Federation did not allow his coach Plamen Bratoichev to travel with him to competitions.
In 2017, Andreev even contemplated giving up the sport entirely. However, around that time, the Federation contacted him after failing to put up a strong team for the Anaheim 2017 World Cup. He officially returned to the team in 2018.
Immediately after returning, Andreev won the gold for men up to 23 years of age in the 77 kg category at the European Championship in Zamosh, Poland. Later in the year, Andreev ranked ninth at the World Cup in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) with 335 kg in the 73 kg category, BTV said.
Bozhidar Andreev was discovered by Sliven coach Plamen Bratoichev in his native village of Topolchane in 2011.
After Batumi, Andreev is ambitious to win an Olympic quota for the next World Cup in Tokyo in 2020 and is ready to give his best to represent Bulgaria, his coach, his family and all those who believe in him, said bTV. LN/ DT
//
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