Since the start of the inception of rhythmic gymnastics as a World Championship event, Bulgaria was in competition with the USSR, during the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, Bulgaria has won 10 individual World Titles with its star gymnasts Maria Gigova – 3 time World AA Champion, Neshka Robeva and Kristina Guiourova, the 1980s marked the height of Bulgarian success known as the Golden Girls of Bulgaria, with gymnasts Iliana Raeva, Anelia Ralenkova, Lilia Ignatova, Diliana Gueorguieva, Bianka Panova, Adriana Dunavska, Elizabeth Koleva dominating the World Championships. Bianka Panova became the first rhythmic gymnast to make a clean sweep of all five individual events at a World Championship by attaining full marks. She also became the first rhythmic gymnast to get onto the Guinness Book of Records by her perfect performance of full 10 marks in all her routines (total of 8) at a World Championship and received the trophy personally from the Pr
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 20: Neviana Vladinova of Bulgaria competes during the Women’s Individual All-Around Rhythmic Gymnastics Final on Day 15 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Rio Olympic Arena on August 20, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
esident of the International Olympic Committee at that time, Juan Antonio Samaranch. The early 1990s were marked by the full domination of Maria Petrova- 3 time World AA Champion and 3 time European AA Champion. The early 2000s marked the decline of individual RG of Bulgaria though with still a few notable gymnasts like Simona Peycheva and Sylvia Miteva. Bulgaria is currently more engaged in Group rhythmic gymnastics with successful gymnasts like: Zhaneta Ilieva, Eleonora Kezhova, Kristina Rangelova, Zornitsa Marinova, Vladislava Tancheva, Hristiana Todorova, Tsvetelina Naydenova, Tsvetelina Stoyanova, Lubomira Kazanova, Reneta Kamberova and Mihaela Maevska. Bulgaria’s new generation of talents in individual gymnastics include: Neviana Vladinova,
Katrin Taseva, Boryana Kaleyn and Erika Zafirova. Boyanka Angelova, who gained popularity among the public, retired early due to injuries.
