Bulgaria’s participation in the Winter Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina 2026 gets underway on Sunday, February 8, with the qualification rounds in the parallel giant slalom in alpine snowboarding. Expectations for strong results are particularly high in this discipline, where Tervel Zamfirov, Radoslav Yankov, Alexander Krashniak and Malena Zamfirova are set to compete for top positions.

The same day also marks the start for Bulgaria’s cross-country skiers Mario Matikanov and Daniel Peshkov, who will line up in the 10+10 km pursuit. The opening Olympic day concludes with the mixed relay in biathlon, although the final Bulgarian lineup for that race has yet to be announced.

On February 9, ski jumper Vladimir Zografski will compete on the small hill. The following day, February 10, brings the sprint qualifications in cross-country skiing for both women and men, with Kalina Nedyalkova representing Bulgaria among the women. That day also features the men’s individual biathlon race, where Vladimir Iliev, Anton Sinapov, Blagoy Todev and Konstantin Vassilev will take part.

The first major test for Bulgaria’s female biathletes comes on February 11, when the individual 15 km race is held. Milena Todorova, Lora Hristova, Maria Zdravkova and Valentina Dimitrova will compete against the world’s strongest athletes in the discipline.

Alpine skier Albert Popov is scheduled to start in the men’s slalom on February 16. Figure skating then comes into focus on February 17, when Alexandra Feigin represents Bulgaria in the women’s short program.

Bulgarians at the Olympic Games (local time)

February 8
10:00 – Snowboarding, parallel giant slalom qualifications (women and men)
13:30 – Cross-country skiing, 10+10 km pursuit (men)
14:00 – Snowboarding, parallel giant slalom finals (women and men)
15:05 – Biathlon, mixed relay

February 9
20:00 – Ski jumping, small hill, first round (men)
21:12 – Ski jumping, small hill, final (men)

February 10
10:15 – Cross-country skiing, sprint qualifications (women)
10:55 – Cross-country skiing, sprint qualifications (men)
14:30 – Biathlon, individual 20 km (men)

February 11
15:15 – Biathlon, individual 15 km (women)

February 12
14:00 – Cross-country skiing, interval start 10 km (women)

February 13
12:45 – Cross-country skiing, interval start 10 km (men)
15:00 – Biathlon, sprint 10 km (men)

February 14
11:00 – Alpine skiing, giant slalom, first run (men)
14:30 – Alpine skiing, giant slalom, second run (men)
15:45 – Biathlon, sprint 7.5 km (women)
19:45 – Ski jumping, large hill, first round (men)
20:57 – Ski jumping, large hill, final (men)

February 15
11:00 – Alpine skiing, giant slalom, first run (women)
14:30 – Alpine skiing, giant slalom, second run (women)

February 16
11:00 – Alpine skiing, slalom, first run (men)
14:30 – Alpine skiing, slalom, second run (men)

February 17
15:30 – Biathlon, 4×7.5 km relay (men)
19:45 – Figure skating, short program (women)

February 18
11:00 – Alpine skiing, slalom, first run (women)
14:30 – Alpine skiing, slalom, second run (women)
15:45 – Biathlon, 4×6 km relay (women)

February 19
20:00 – Figure skating, free program (women)

Ekaterina Dafovska Reflects on Olympic Gold

As Bulgaria prepares for another Winter Olympics, Chepelare is once again marking the anniversary of Ekaterina Dafovska’s historic triumph. Twenty-eight years after her gold medal in biathlon at the 1998 Nagano Games, she remains the only Bulgarian athlete to have claimed an Olympic title at a Winter Games.

Dafovska recalls that the victory came at one of the most difficult points in her career. The season had begun poorly, expectations were low, and frustration had reached a peak. She admits that she had even considered ending her career if she failed to achieve a result in Nagano. Instead, after months of setbacks, everything changed at the very moment when success seemed least likely.

Nagano was also unique for another reason: it was the only race in her career in which she competed using her warm-up skis. Feeling unusually confident, she took a risk that paid off. She notes that in biathlon, skis often behave unpredictably, and what is usually considered a weaker pair can sometimes perform exceptionally well.

The medal ceremony remains one of her most emotional memories. She recalls how Ivan Slavkov altered the ceremony and was visibly moved, shedding tears. Dafovska’s sporting record includes Olympic gold, two bronze medals from world championships, a European title and appearances at four Winter Olympics: Lillehammer, Nagano, Salt Lake City and Turin.

For her, the Olympic Games always carry a special atmosphere. The opening ceremony and the parade of athletes are moments she describes as unforgettable, along with the tradition of exchanging badges with competitors from other nations. Preparation, however, was never left to chance. Each Olympic cycle involved at least a year of focused work, including mental training. In her words, success requires discipline of the mind as much as physical effort.

Dafovska explains that motivation grows step by step. Standing on the podium fuels the desire to climb higher, a drive familiar to every elite athlete. Although she ended her competitive career in 2007, she remains closely involved with Bulgarian biathlon.

She believes Bulgaria will field one of its strongest teams at the Milan-Cortina Games, highlighting the extensive training camps and high-altitude preparation undertaken by the athletes. Dafovska continues to advise and encourage them, stressing that calmness, focus and enjoyment are crucial for success on the Olympic stage.

Today, her Olympic gold medal is displayed in a place of honor at her hotel in Pamporovo, alongside other significant mementos from her career. She describes herself as optimistic and sincere, driven yet sensitive. Hearing the Bulgarian national anthem played in her honor remains the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, a rare and extraordinary moment that, for her, defines the true meaning of Olympic success.