The Third Edition of the Athlete's Ball Honoured the Best Students-Athletes of UNWE

The UNWE best students-athletes were honoured at a ceremony in Maxima Aula during the third edition of the Athletes' Ball.

In 2023 they played with dignity on the sports fields and they are deservedly among the best at the university championships. The athletes from the representative teams won more than 35 medals, including 8 gold awards that provided for them the third place in the final ranking of the National Universiade 2023 in Stara Zagora.

The Rector of UNWE, Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov welcomed the attendees in the hall and emphasized: "As always, the atmosphere is festive when the Physical Education and Sport Department and the sports clubs organize such celebrations and today it is even more festive because the Department is celebrating its 70th Anniversary. We, as Rector`s management, encourage sport and strive to give sporting talents the opportunity to develop. The fact that you are here in the hall shows great respect for the work and efforts of people who have achieved great sporting success - whether they are gold medal winners or team players. It is important because it creates the spirit of our university, the spirit that is the strength of UNWE. I wish the athletes and everyone who supports them good health and future success!"

Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov

On the occasion of the anniversary of the Physical Education and Sport Department the Rector Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov awarded the statuette of Prof. Stephan Bobchev - Founder and First Rector of UNWE to the Head of the Department Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Stoilov.

"It is a great honour and pleasure for me to welcome you today on this festive day because the current edition of the Ball of Athletes of UNWE coincides with a very significant date in the development of academic sports at our university, namely the 70th Anniversary of the establishment of an independent Department of Physical Education and Sports at the University of National and World Economy. Seventy years of high professionalism and significant athletic success, due to the efforts of the members of the Department as well as to the entire UNWE academic community. The knowledge and skills we pass on to our students very quickly find their practical expression in our representative teams which defend with dignity the honor of our university", said the Head of the Physical Education and Sport Department Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Stoilov. He expressed his personal thankfulness to the Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov and the entire Rector`s management for the support they have always given to the development of student sport and the activities of the Physical Education and Sport. Department. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Stoilov expressed thankfulness also both the Student Council and the National Representation of the Student Councils /NRSC/ for the good partnership as well as to his colleagues from the Physical Education and Sport Department for the good cooperation and dedicated work.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Stoilov

"It is wonderful that this event takes place for the third consecutive year and I am delighted that it takes place at our university, which is not only economic but also has sporting excellence to be proud of. These victories are proof that our colleagues are extremely talented, because despite their extremely busy studies, they manage also to achieve such significant success in sport. It is also an attestation for the work of the Physical Education and Sport Department. I greet you for your good work and I am convinced that you will celebrate many more achievements and victories in the future", said the Chairman of the UNWE Student Council Ilian Chabukliysky.

Ilian Chabukliysky

"On behalf of the National Representation of the Student Councils I would like to greet Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Stoilov and the entire team of the Physical Education and Sport Department for organizing the third edition of the Athletes' Ball. Three years ago Assoc. Prof. Stoilov and his team accepted the Student Council as a good partner for the implementation of this event. Now we can proudly say that it is a good tradition for our university and there is nothing like it in our country. I also want to greet the Rector`s management of the University for their efforts in developing the student sports and young athletes of UNWE", said the Chairman of NRSC Angel Stoykov and added: “I would also like to address all my colleagues whom we will see on this stage. Do not stop daring, do not stop developing! Behind you is a Department with 70 years of history and a University with over 100 years of history - the University of National and World Economy."

Angel Stoykov

The official guests at the event were the Vice-Rector for Educational Activities Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova-Boshnakova, the Vice-Rector for Research Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maria Vodenicharova, the Vice-Rector for International Activities Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yanko Hristozov, the Vice-Rector for Institutional and Business Cooperation and Student Policies of UNWE Prof. Dr. Tsvetana Stoyanova, the Dean of the Business Faculty Prof. Dr. Georgy Zabunov, Prof. D.Sc. Daniela Dasheva, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, long-standing prominent lecturer at Vasil Levski National Sports Academy, the Honorary Chairman of the Association for University Sports /AUS/ Assoc. Prof. Zlatko Dzhurov, Prof. Dr. Georgy Yankov, Professor Emeritus of UNWE and Chairman of the Academic Sports Club of the UNWE lecturers and officials, the Dean of the Faculty of Sports at Vasil Levsky National Sports Academy Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emil Atanasov and the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Sports Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Slavchev, the volleyball legend Borislav Kyosev, European and world championship medalist, champion of Bulgaria with the CSKA /Central Sports Club of the Army/ team, member of the Management Board of the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation, Nikolay Staykov, member of the Management Board of the Bulgarian Tennis Federation, member of the Management Board of the Association for University Sports, Manager of Baroko Sport, Volodya Zlatev, President of the Bulgarian Badminton Federation, Miroslav Petrov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Bulgarian Badminton Federation.

Among the official guests was also H.E. Jongin Bae, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bulgaria, who met with the Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov before the ceremony.

Assoc. Prof. Ivan Stoilov, Borislav Kyosev, Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov, H.E. Jongin Bae, Assist. Dr. Dimitar Avramov, lecturer and coach of the taekwondo demostration team at the NSA /from the right to the left/

During the ceremony were also honoured the most deserving athletes and coaches of UNWE in 2023.

The best athlete of UNWE for 2023 is Michaela Zlatanova, badminton player coached by Sen. Lect. Dr. Ekaterina Tosheva. Mihaela Zlatanova is a 3rd year student of speciality Finance and Accounting taught in English. She has been playing badminton since she was 6 years old and over the years has been a multiple champion at national championships in various age groups and has won numerous victories at international tournaments. She has won 4 gold and 1 bronze medal for the UNWE team. Together with the other girls in the badminton team, they won the first team place at the National Universiade in Stara Zagora in 2023.

The proze was awarded to Michaela Zlatanova by the President of the Bulgarian Badminton Federation Volodya Zlatev.

The UNWE Team for 2023 is the beach volleyball team coached by Assoc. Prof. Petar Ivanov. In the championships and tournaments under the auspices of the Association for University Sports our team is a multiple champion, participant in the European Student Championships in Malaga, Spain. The team consists of Radostin Raykov and Dimitar Mehandzhiysky.

The prize was awarded by the volleyball legend and member of the Management Board of the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation Borislav Kyosev.

The Coach of the Year for 2023 is Prof. Dr. Petar Ivanov. He is a Master of Sport in Volleyball. With the UNWE men's volleyball team, he has won victories and championship titles at student championships, state championships in the National Volleyball League and international tournaments. In the past, he finished third in the final of the National Universiade in Stara Zagora in 2023 with the UNWE representative volleyball team. At the Summer Universiade in Kranevo 2023, he was the coach of the winning beach volleyball pair - Radostin Raykov and Dimitar Mehandzhiysky. In September 2023 as coach of the UNWE beach volleyball team, he is ranked at the ninth place at the European Student Championships in Malaga, Spain.

The prize was awarded by the President of the Association for University Sports and participant in four Olympiads Assoc. Prof. Dr. Petar Zografov.

Nadia Boneva was conferred the award for her "overall contribution to the development of the Physical Education and Sport Department". Nadia Boneva has been a lecturer for 36 years and Head of the Physical Education and Sport Department since 1996 to 2003. She leads the disciplines of tennis and table tennis and she is a long-standing coach of the ski teams /men and women/ with whom she is a multiple national university champion.

The prize was awarded by the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Prof. D.Sc. Daniela Dasheva to Assoc. Prof. Ivan Stoilov who accepted the award on behalf of Nadia Boneva.

The Rector of UNWE Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov was awarded a plaque for the development of the academic sport by the Association for University Sports.

Prof. Dr. Petar Zografov is awarding the prize to Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov

During the ceremony the guests had the opportunity to watch the performance of the participants in the show Bulgaria Looks for a Talent - the taekwondo demonstration team of the National Sports Academy.

After the performance of the taekwondo demonstration team its coach Assist. Dr. Dimitar Avramov invited Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Stoilov to take part in a Taekwondo Demonstration.

Assoc. Prof. Ivan Stoilov gave as present to the Rector Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov a photo of his participation in the Taekwondo Demonstration during last year's edition of the Athletes' Ball.

The Rector Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov received a photo of his participation in the Taekwondo Demonstration during the last year edition of the Athletes' Ball as a gift from Assoc. Prof. Ivan Stoilov.

The guests of the event enjoyed the performances of 10-years old Nikola who actively plays basketball in Slavia Sports Club and studies music at the XS Artists Music School. They also watched the performance of the children from Amarant Sports Club in Artistic Gymnastics, the acrobatics of Ivaya Vankova, Monika Kostadinova and Nicole Stoyanova from CSKA Sports Club and Diana Chakalova from Sofia" Sports School. The attendees in the hall also applauded performance in artistic gymnastics of 10-years old Sofia Salapatiyska as well as the performance of the UNWE cheerleading team coached by Sen. Lect. Dr. Milena Ignatova and Sen. Lect. Iva Barova who won the first place at the International Tournament in Belgrade in 2023.