- Why did you choose to practice weightlifting?

- In 1971, I applied for the sports school and hoped to start with athletics. But I did not have enough height - I was 1.38 meters, and then the requirements were at least 1.50 meters. However, at the exams I had passed successfully, I was noticed by the weightlifting trainer Gancho Karushkov. He told me to apply with bars. So I did.

- Is it harder to win an Olympic medal than another medal?

- It's not harder, but it's more important because the Olympics are once every four years and this is the biggest competition in the sports career. The world championships, as well as the European ones, are every year. 

- What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a competitor or a coach?

- The advantage of being a competitor is that you only answer for yourself. To be a coach you must be both a psychologist and a parent - so you can answer for more people.

- To what extend is the preparation physical and to what psychological?

- Both are very important things. People are different - it depends on the person. You can do a lot with a psyche. There are many examples of people who are not talented, but when they put one thing in their mind for a task and that's enough. Physical training is also very important because if you have any restrictions in your movement or injuries the things can not happen. So the two types of training go side by side.

- How would you inspire future athletes and what are the qualities necessary for a safe success?

- Qualities are many. And how to inspire them? You need a goal. In life success depends on family, the close people who can direct you from an early age. As with us - we entered sport school at the age of 11. So by this time there must be some guidance. Under no circumstances it should be at all costs. I mean, if the parents were athletes, it does not mean that the children should be. But sport is a nice engagement.

 * The interview is published with edits by the author. All rights to the text created under the project "Olympic Medalists of the City of Plovdiv" belongs to "Youth Center Plovdiv".