As the 2026 Winter Olympics approach in Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo, Bulgaria's seven ski athletes are set to compete in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and ski jumping despite limited resources. The team aims for solid performances rather than medals, drawing on recent achievements and personal milestones. Their participation highlights the country's persistent efforts in winter sports.
The Winter Olympics, scheduled from February 6 to 22, 2026, in Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, represent a major milestone for Bulgarian winter sports. Facing challenges like scarce infrastructure and funding, Bulgaria fields a team of seven dedicated athletes across three disciplines, each bringing notable experience to the global stage.
In alpine skiing, Albert Popov leads the contingent. Born in 1997, he secured a historic World Cup slalom victory on January 8, 2025, in Madonna di Campiglio, Bulgaria's second such win after 1980. "It means everything — the hard work, those years away from the family and the hard trainings," Popov said after his triumph, expressing hope to inspire young Bulgarians. His past includes a ninth-place finish at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and multiple top-15 World Cup results. Teammates Kalin Zlatkov, born in 2001, has notched FIS race wins in 2025 and aims for top-30 finishes, while Anina Zurbrigen, a 2003-born athlete of Bulgarian-Swiss heritage, claimed national slalom titles and a 13th place at the 2025 Winter World University Games.
Cross-country skiing features Mario Matikanov, a 2004-born prodigy who earned bronze at the 2025 University Games in Turin; Daniel Peshkov, born in 2002, known for endurance in long-distance races like his 51st at the 2025 FIS Nordic Worlds; and Kalina Nedyalkova, born in 2001, who finished 13th in the women's interval start at those championships.
Ski jumping's representative, Vladimir Zografski, born in 1993, is Bulgaria's most accomplished in the sport. Training abroad due to domestic limitations, he achieved a fourth place in Ruka in November 2025 and 14th at the Four Hills Tournament earlier that year. "I hope we can correct the mistakes and make ski fans in Bulgaria happy," he shared via video.
The athletes' collective goal is to advance in competitions and elevate Bulgaria's winter sports profile, marking a step forward amid ongoing development hurdles.
