Sports Career
Moments of a Lifetime
This section of the website is all about my sport’s lifestyle. Offering inspirational videos and amazing images from gymnastics competitions, performances and significant scientific and sports events throughout the years, moments of a lifetime!
Sports Career & Lifestyle
My Story
Being involved in gymnastics established the foundation of many other interests, such as coaching gymnastics and promoting physical exercise, as well as studying and researching areas which can maximise sports performance and improve health and well-being through exercise and nutrition.
I started doing gymnastics on the 1st of October 2002 in Bulgaria. Step by step, I achieved some of my goals because of my dedication and high level motivation. I strongly believe that motivation is the only factor that matters.
Let me share why I consider my achievements to be quite significant. I was diagnosed with Perthes disease at a young age (a condition where the top of the thigh bone in the hip joint softens and stops functioning). I had been told by physicians not to practise any physical activities, and I was even prevented from participating in PE classes at school. It is said that when there is nothing to lose, you can only win! And as Steve Jobs put it, ‘you are already naked and there is no reason not to follow your heart’: from disability at a young age to taking part at the national level of the professional sport. Never Give Up! And I didn’t!
The skills I acquired, as well as the body transformation I experienced, are all priceless to me. Although I was already 15 when I first started gymnastics, and some people tried to denigrate my desire to progress, step-by-step, gymnastics became a major part of my life. My first official competition as a gymnast was in 2007, competing for Levski Gymnastics Club. My best individual result is 4th place in the National Men’s Rings Final in the 2012 Bulgarian Gymnastics Championships. I am also a three-time London rings champion, British Universities Rings Champion (Grade 2), British Gymnastics Champion for masters athletes, and I had the opportunity to compete together with some of my favourite elite gymnasts, such as Jordan Jovchev, Yuri van Gelder and Courtney Tulloch. Well, I am actually very proud of these achievements, considering the fact that the physicians once said that I would not even be able to do sports because of my hip problem, and national coaches said that there was no point in even starting to do gymnastics as it was already too late. I understand that not everyone can achieve a gold medal, but actually, everyone can be a winner! Yes, everyone, and my message to you is: Don’t Give Up on your dream!