The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, are set to initiate on and conclude on . The Games will bring together nearly 3,000 of the world’s top winter sports athletes, including a contingent of 20 Bulgarians competing across six different sports.
A Wait for Gold: Bulgaria’s Olympic History and Current Hopes
Bulgaria hasn’t secured a medal at the Winter Olympics in two decades, with their last triumph coming at the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy. Evgenia Radanova claimed silver in short track speed skating that year. Radanova remains Bulgaria’s most decorated Winter Olympian, with a total of three medals – a silver and a bronze from Salt Lake City 2002, in addition to her Turin silver. The nation’s greatest Winter Olympic moment, whereas, belongs to Ekaterina Dafovska, who won gold in biathlon at Nagano 1998.
Now, Bulgaria aims to add to its medal count in Milan/Cortina, with six sports offering potential opportunities. Leading the charge is Tervel Zamfirov, the reigning world champion in snowboarding, who has consistently delivered strong performances. Veteran snowboarder Radoslav Yankov also poses a medal threat, as does the rising star Malena Zamfirova, who has already demonstrated the ability to challenge the world’s elite.
Albert Popov in alpine skiing is another strong contender, having achieved a historic World Cup victory last year in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. Vladimir Zografski is also in excellent form, consistently placing in the top 10 in World Cup ski jumping events. In biathlon, Milena Todorova secured two World Cup medals in 2025, and the Bulgarian team also has potential for a strong showing in the relay events.
Bulgarian Athlete Schedule and Broadcast Information
- 10:00 AM: Snowboard – Qualifications (Tervel Zamfirov, Radoslav Yankov, Alexander Krushnyak, Malena Zamfirova) – BNT 3
- 1:45 PM: Cross-country Skiing – Pursuit 10+10 km (Daniel Peshkov, Mario Matikanov) – BNT 3
- 1:55 PM: Snowboard – Finals (Tervel Zamfirov, Radoslav Yankov, Alexander Krushnyak, Malena Zamfirova) – BNT 1
- 3:00 PM: Biathlon – 4×6 km Mixed Relay (Blagoy Todev, Vladimir Iliev, Milena Todorova, Laura Hristova) – BNT 3
(Schedule details not provided in source material)
(Schedule details not provided in source material)
- 3:10 PM: Biathlon – 15 km Women Individual (Milena Todorova, Laura Hristova, Valentina Dimitrova, Maria Zдравkova) – BNT 1/BNT 3
- 1:55 PM: Cross-country Skiing – 10 km Women Interval Start (Kalina Nedyalkova)
- 12:45 PM: Cross-country Skiing – 10 km Men Interval Start
- 2:55 PM: Biathlon – 10 km Men Individual (Anton Sinapov, Blagoy Todev, Vladimir Iliev, Konstantin Vasilev)
- 10:55 AM: Alpine Skiing – Giant Slalom Men, First Run (Albert Popov, Kalin Zlatkov) – BNT 3
- 2:25 PM: Alpine Skiing – Giant Slalom Men, Second Run (Albert Popov, Kalin Zlatkov) – BNT 3
- 3:40 PM: Biathlon – 7.5 km Women Individual (Milena Todorova, Laura Hristova, Valentina Dimitrova, Maria Zдравkova) – BNT 1/BNT 3
- 10:55 AM: Alpine Skiing – Giant Slalom Women, First Run (Anina Tsurbrigen) – BNT 3
- 2:25 PM: Alpine Skiing – Giant Slalom Women, Second Run (Anina Tsurbrigen) – BNT 3
- 10:55 AM: Alpine Skiing – Slalom Men, First Run (Albert Popov, Kalin Zlatkov) – BNT 1/BNT 3
- 2:25 PM: Alpine Skiing – Slalom Men, Second Run (Albert Popov, Kalin Zlatkov) – BNT 1/BNT 3
- 3:25 PM: Biathlon – 4×7.5 km Men’s Relay (Blagoy Todev, Vladimir Iliev, Konstantin Vasilev, Anton Sinapov) – BNT 1/BNT 3
- 7:45 PM: Figure Skating – Women (Alexandra Feygin) – BNT 3
- 10:55 AM: Alpine Skiing – Slalom Women, First Run (Anina Tsurbrigen) – BNT 3
- 12:40 PM: Cross-country Skiing – Team Sprint Men, Qualifications (Mario Matikanov, Daniel Peshkov) – BNT 3
- 2:25 PM: Alpine Skiing – Slalom Women, Second Run (Anina Tsurbrigen) – BNT 3
- 3:40 PM: Biathlon – 4×6 km Women’s Relay (Laura Hristova, Valentina Dimitrova, Milena Todorova, Maria Zдравkova) – BNT 1/BNT 3
- 7:45 PM: Figure Skating – Women (Alexandra Feygin) – BNT 3
A full TV schedule for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina is also available.