I am a qualified gymnastics coach with more than 20 years of experience in practising gymnastics, and 15 years of coaching gymnastics. I have been teaching gymnastics here in London since January 2013 when I moved to the UK from Bulgaria. I hold dual Bulgarian and British citizenship, and my real passions in life are gymnastics, scientific research, and my genuine curiosity towards slowing the agеing process. I obtained my PhD degree in Pedagogy of Physical Education from the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry at the National Sports Academy, Bulgaria in 2018. My Doctoral thesis was on the benefits of doing gymnastics in primary school age. Overall, my research focuses on assessing health-related physical fitness, as well as areas within the field of sports medicine and exercise sciences. I have spoken at many international academic conferences in sports medicine and exercise science around the world, including the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Czech Republic, Finland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. I have been recognised as a Fellow of the European College of Sport Science (FECSS) by the Credentials, Awards & Tributes Committee of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS) for a significant contribution to the development of sport science through research.

In line with my short and long-term goals, interests, and passion for research, I took the decision to pursue a second PhD. I am currently an MPhil/PhD postgraduate research student at the University of Greenwich, London. My project explorers the effectiveness of microcurrent electrical stimulation and resistance exercise on counteracting the loss of muscle mass and strength which accompanies aging.

I provide a range of services in London, mainly specialising in teaching gymnastics, and I am involved in different scientific projects. I am a 3-time London Gymnastics Champion on Rings (winning the gold medal in 2015, 2016, and 2017), British Universities Rings Champion, British Gymnastics Champion for Masters athletes (30+), 4-time Sutton Gymnastics Academy Rings Champion (2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017), and I competed in a few international championships, many national, regional and masters competitions. In the following video, you can see one of my latest performance on Rings at the 2024 Men’s London Open Gymnastics Championships.

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Early years

I was born in 1987 in the south-west part of Bulgaria in a small town called Gotse Delchev, which is about 200 km from the capital Sofia. Just a few years later, my father was promoted to a Lieutenant Colonel (and later a Colonel) in the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence, and therefore, my family moved to the city of Sofia where I started my primary education. My early life was shaped by a family that valued education, with grandparents who were devoted teachers. This environment laid the groundwork for my future academic and professional pursuits.

Primary and Secondary Education

I completed my primary education at Chernorizets Hrabar Primary School No.163 in 2001, followed by my secondary education at the Professional School of Textile and Modern Design in 2006. Despite a childhood diagnosis of Perthes disease, a condition that medical professionals warned would prevent me from participating in sports, I defied the odds. At the age of 15, I began my journey in gymnastics, a sport that would become the bedrock of my life’s achievements.

University and Early work

In 2007, after successfully passing practical and theoretical exams, I was accepted as a student in the most prestigious University in sport science and physical education in Bulgaria. In 2011, I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in two majors: Sports and Physical Education from the National Sports Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, and in 2012 I completed my Master’s degree in Physical Education from the same University. During my time as a student, I worked part-time as a gymnastics coach at Levski GC from 2008 until 2012. The club’s managers provided me with the opportunity to have my own groups of gymnasts to teach, and to develop as a coach. This was the beginning of my coaching career with this very first job. As a gymnast, I trained at Levski Gymnastics Centre, but I competed for my University team (A-GYM NSA) and achieved a 4th place finish in the National Men’s Rings Final at the 2012 Bulgarian Gymnastics Championships (one of my best achievements in my sports career).

Moving to London

In 2013, driven by a lifelong dream, I moved to London, United Kingdom. I began working as a gymnastics coach, with my teaching qualification recognised as equivalent to a British Master’s degree by UK NARIC. I further cemented my professional standing by obtaining a UK Coaching Qualification (MAG Level 2) in gymnastics, as well as a Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) for England in 2014. As a gymnastics coach in North London, I spent eight years (2013–2020) at the Elite Gymnastics Academy, teaching children from preschool to age 16, and some of my gymnasts won medals and certificates from club and regional competitions. I also competed for this club in 15 competitions, (4 internationals, 4 regionals, and 7 for masters athletes), ranked 14th at the International Men’s London Open in 2013 and 2016, and won 3 gold medals at the London Championships in 2015, 2016 and 2017, as well as multiple medals from gymnastics competitions for master athletes in England. During that time, I also coached general gymnastics at St Edmund’s Primary School from January 2015 to July 2018. Furthermore, I provided personal training in gymnastics for private clients in London, as well as gymnastics coaching services to some schools and clubs from 2013 to 2022 as part of my self-employed business called STK SPORT. 

PhD Degree

My passion for scientific research in sport and health led me to pursue a PhD in Physical Education at the National Sports Academy in Bulgaria, a degree I began in 2015 while living and working in London. My doctoral thesis, which focused on the nutrition and health-related physical fitness of children in artistic gymnastics, drew upon data collected from primary school children in the UK. During this period, I also volunteered as a PE assistant at St Edmund’s Primary School in London from 2015 to 2018. My research gained international recognition through presentations at top-tier conferences, including the BASES conference in the UK, and the FIEP European Congress. In 2018, at the age of 30, I was officially admitted to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, an achievement I consider one of my greatest.

Milestones and Continued Education

The year 2020 marked a significant personal milestone as I proudly obtained my British citizenship. I successfully passed both the Graded Examination in Spoken English with distinction and the Life in the UK test. During my British Citizenship ceremony, I took the Oath of allegience to the Crown, and the Pledge of loyalty to the United Kingdom in the Town Hall of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, and then I was given my certificate of naturalization. Later that year, I also received my British Passport.

In 2021, fueled by a desire for continuous professional development, I embarked on a second PhD, a doctoral degree in Human Sciences at the University of Greenwich. My current PhD research explores the effects of microcurrent and resistance exercise on muscle strength, body composition, and physical function in older adults, addressing critical aspects of successful aging.

In 2022, I founded Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy Ltd as the successor of my sole trade gymnastics coaching business STK SPORT. Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy is the end product of my vast practical and academic experience of more than 20 years in the sport of gymnastics.

In 2023, I was recognised as a World Physical Education Ambassador by the FIEPS (International Federation of Physical and Sports Education) Scientific Board due to my involvement with the Federation for the last few years. In August 2023, I was accepted and successfully completed the International Summer School ‘Research Methods in Sports Science for Interdisciplinary Approaches’ at the German Sport University Cologne in Germany. In 2024, I was admitted as a Fellow of the European College of Sport Science (FECSS) by the Credentials, Awards & Tributes Committee of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS). ECSS was founded in 1995 in France with its current office located in Cologne, Germany. Fellows of the ECSS have made a significant contribution to the development of sports science through research and have supported the College immensely. This has probably been the biggest and most prestigious recognition I have received so far in my career. In the summer of 2024, I travelled to the USA for a week to present a poster at the ACSM Annual Meeting in Boston for the first time, and I represented the GB Masters Gymnastics Team in the 2024 Masters Gymnastics World Cup in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.