Bulgaria at the 1998 Winter Olympics
{{infobox country at games
| NOC = BUL
| NOCname = Bulgarian Olympic Committee
| games = Winter Olympics
| year = 1998
| flagcaption =
| oldcode =
| website = {{url|www.bgolympic.org }} {{in lang|bg|en}}
| location = Nagano
| competitors = 19
| sports = 6
| flagbearer = Lyubomir Popov
| rank = 15
| gold = 1
| silver = 0
| bronze = 0
| officials =
| appearances = auto
| app_begin_year = 1936
| app_end_year =
| summerappearances =
| winterappearances =
| seealso =
}}
Bulgaria was represented at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan by the Bulgarian Olympic Committee.
In total, 19 athletes represented Bulgaria in six different sports including alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, figure skating, short track speed skating and snowboarding.
Bulgaria only medal winner at the games was Ekaterina Dafovska who won gold in the women's individual biathlon. It was Bulgaria's first ever gold medal and their first winter Olympic medal since 1980.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 15 kilometres, Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/1580 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
Medalists
{{main|1998 Winter Olympics medal table}}
In total, Bulgaria won one goal medal at the games.{{cite web |title=Bulgaria at the 1998 Winter Olympics |url=https://www.olympedia.org/countries/BUL/editions/46 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%" | ||||
| Medal
!Name !Sport !Event !Date | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| {{gold medal}} | {{sortname|Ekaterina|Dafovska}} | Biathlon | Women's individual | 9 February |
Competitors
In total, 19 athletes represented Bulgaria at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan across six different sports.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" | |||
| width=180|Sport
! width=55|Men ! width=55|Women ! width=55|Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| align=left|Alpine skiing
| 4 | 1 | 5 | |
| align=left|Biathlon
| 1 | 4 | 5 | |
| align=left|Cross-country skiing
| 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| align=left|Figure skating
| 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| align=left|Short track speed skating
| 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| align=left|Snowboarding
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 8 | 11 | 19 |
Alpine skiing
{{main|Alpine skiing at the 1998 Winter Olympics}}
Five Bulgarian athletes participated in the alpine skiing events – Petar Dichev, Stefan Georgiev, Lyubomir Popov, Angel Pumpalov and Nadejda Vassileva.
The men's combined took place on 10 and 13 February 1998. Dichev completed his first slalom run on 10 February in 51.16 seconds but was disqualified following his second run for a gate infringement.{{cite web |title=Alpine Skiing at the 1998 Nagano Winter Games: Men's Combined Slalom |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/winter/1998/ASK/mens-combined-slalom.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417081518/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/winter/1998/ASK/mens-combined-slalom.html |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=16 April 2025 |archive-date=17 April 2020}}{{cite web |title=The XVII Olympic Winter Games; Official Report; III; Competition Results and Participants |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1998/Vol3_e.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819195640/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1998/Vol3_e.pdf |publisher=Nagano 1998 |via=LA84 Foundation |access-date=16 April 2025 |archive-date=19 August 2008}}
The men's giant slalom took place on 19 February 1998. Georgiev completed his first run in one minute 27.76 seconds. Popov did not finish his first run and did not take part in the second runs. Georgiev completed his second run in one minute 23.13 seconds for a combined time of two minutes 50.89 seconds to finish 32nd overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, Giant Slalom, Men |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/1436 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The women's slalom also took place on 19 February 1998. Vassileva completed her first run in 52.68 seconds and her second run in 52.76 seconds for a combined time of one minute 45.44 seconds to finish 26th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, Slalom, Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/1452 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The men's slalom took place on 21 February 1998. Georgiev completed his first run in 57.95 seconds and Dichev completed his first run in 59.62 seconds. Popov and Pumpalov did not finish their first runs and did not take part in the second runs. Dichev did not finish his second run. Georgiev completed his second run in 58.17 seconds for a combined time of one minute 56.12 seconds to finish 22nd overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, Slalom, Men |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/1439 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
;Men
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| rowspan="2"|Athlete
!rowspan="2"|Event !Race 1 !Race 2 !colspan="2"|Total |
|---|
| Time
!Time !Time !Rank |
| Lyubomir Popov
|rowspan="2"|Giant Slalom |align="center"|DNF |align="center"|– |align="center"|DNF |align="center"|– |
| Stefan Georgiev
|align="center"|1:27.76 |align="center"|1:23.13 |align="center"|2:50.89 |align="center"|32 |
| Angel Pumpalov
|rowspan="4"|Slalom |align="center"|DNF |align="center"|– |align="center"|DNF |align="center"|– |
| Lyubomir Popov
|align="center"|DNF |align="center"|– |align="center"|DNF |align="center"|– |
| Petar Dichev
|align="center"|59.62 |align="center"|DNF |align="center"|DNF |align="center"|– |
| Stefan Georgiev
|align="center"|57.95 |align="center"|58.17 |align="center"|1:56.12 |align="center"|22 |
Men's combined
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| rowspan="2"|Athlete
!colspan="2"|Slalom !Downhill !colspan="2"|Total |
|---|
| Time 1
!Time 2 !Time !Total time !Rank |
| Petar Dichev
|align="center"|51.16 |align="center"|DSQ |align="center"|– |align="center"|DSQ |align="center"|– |
;Women
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| rowspan="2"|Athlete
!rowspan="2"|Event !Race 1 !Race 2 !colspan="2"|Total |
|---|
| Time
!Time !Time !Rank |
| Nadejda Vassileva
|Slalom |align="center"|52.68 |align="center"|52.76 |align="center"|1:45.44 |align="center"|26 |
Biathlon
{{main|Biathlon at the 1998 Winter Olympics}}
Five Bulgarian athletes participated in the biathlon events – Ekaterina Dafovska, Pavlina Filipova, Georgi Kasabov, Valentina Peychinova and Radka Popova.
The women's individual took place on 9 February 1998. Dafovska completed the course in 53 minutes 52 seconds but with one shooting miss for an adjusted time of 54 minutes 52 seconds to win gold. Filipova completed the course in 54 minutes 18.1 seconds but with one shooting miss for an adjusted time of 55 minutes 18.1 seconds to finish fourth overall, 0.2 seconds behind bronze.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 15 kilometres, Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/1580 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The men's individual took place on 11 February 1998. Kasabov completed the course in one hour one minute 59.5 seconds but with five shooting misses for an adjusted time of one hour six minutes 59.5 seconds to finish 67th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 20 kilometres, Men |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/1574 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The women's sprint took place on 15 February 1998. Dafovska completed the course in 25 minutes 6.7 seconds with two shooting misses to finish 29th overall. Filipova completed the course in 25 minutes 34.8 seconds with three shooting misses to finish 41st overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 7.5 kilometres Sprint, Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/1579 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The men's sprint took place on 18 February 1998. Kasabov completed the course in 31 minutes 9.5 seconds with no shooting misses to finish 57th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 10 kilometres Sprint, Men |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/1573 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The women's relay took place on 19 February 1998. Popova, the lead-off, completed the course in 28 minutes six seconds with no shooting misses but one extra shot. On the second leg, Dafovska completed the course in 24 minutes 56.4 seconds with no shooting misses. On the third leg, Filipova completed the course in 27 minutes 52.7 seconds but with three shooting misses and five extra shots. On the anchor leg, Peychinova completed the course in 28 minutes 0.1 seconds with no shooting misses but three extra shots. The team took a combined time of one hour 48 minutes 55.2 seconds to finish 16th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 4 x 7.5 kilometres, Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/1581 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
;Men
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| Event
!Athlete !Misses 1 !Time !Rank |
|---|
| 10 km Sprint
|align="center"|0 |align="center"|31:09.5 |align="center"|57 |
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| Event
!Athlete !Time !Misses !Adjusted time 2 !Rank |
|---|
| 20 km
|align="center"|1'01:59.5 |align="center"|5 |align="center"|1'06:59.5 |align="center"|67 |
;Women
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| Event
!Athlete !Misses 1 !Time !Rank |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|7.5 km Sprint
|align="center"|3 |align="center"|25:34.8 |align="center"|41 |
| Ekaterina Dafovska
|align="center"|2 |align="center"|25:06.7 |align="center"|29 |
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| Event
!Athlete !Time !Misses !Adjusted time 2 !Rank |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|15 km
|align="center"|54:18.1 |align="center"|1 |align="center"|55:18.1 |align="center"|4 |
| Ekaterina Dafovska
|align="center"|53:52.0 |align="center"|1 |align="center"|54:52.0 |align="center"|{{gold01}} |
;Women's 4 × 7.5 km relay
| class="wikitable" border="1" style="font-size:90%" |
| rowspan=2|Athletes
!colspan=3|Race |
|---|
| Misses 1
!Time !Rank |
| Radka Popova Ekaterina Dafovska Pavlina Filipova Valentina Peychinova |align=center|3 |align=center|1'48:55.2 |align=center|16 |
{{ref begin}}
: 1 A penalty loop of 150 metres had to be skied per missed target.
: 2 One minute added per missed target.
{{ref end}}
Cross-country skiing
{{main|Cross-country skiing at the 1998 Winter Olympics}}
Two Bulgarian athletes participated in the cross-country skiing events – Slavcho Batinkov and Irina Nikulchina.
The women's 15 km classical also took place on 8 February 1998. Nikulchina completed the course in 57 minutes 7.2 seconds to finish 63rd overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 15 kilometres (Classical), Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/2080 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The men's 30 km classical took place on 9 February 1998. Batinkov completed the course in one hour 50 minutes 35 seconds to finish 60th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 30 kilometres (Classical), Men |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/2070 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The women's 5 km classical also took place on 9 February 1998. Nikulchina completed the course in 20 minutes 52.6 seconds to finish 70th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 5 kilometres (Classical), Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/2076 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The women's 10 km freestyle pursuit took place on 10 February 1998. Nikulchina completed the combined courses in 34 minutes 13.5 seconds to finish 53rd overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 5/10 kilometres Pursuit, Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/2077 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The men's 10 km classical took place on 12 February 1998. Batinkov completed the course in 33 minutes 23.2 seconds to finish 84th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 10 kilometres (Classical), Men |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/2066 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The men's 15 km freestyle pursuit took place on 14 February 1998. Batinkov completed the combined courses in 49 minutes 41.5 seconds to finish 61st overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 10/15 kilometres Pursuit, Men |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/2067 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The women's 30 km freestyle also took place on 20 February 1998. Nikulchina completed the course in one hour 31 minutes 4.7 seconds to finish 28th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 30 kilometres (Freestyle), Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/2081 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
;Men
| class="wikitable" border="1" style="font-size:90%" |
| rowspan=2|Event
!rowspan=2|Athlete !colspan=2|Race |
|---|
| Time
!Rank |
| 10 km C |rowspan=3|Slavcho Batinkov |align=center|33:23.2 |align=center|84 |
| 15 km pursuit1 F |align=center|49:41.5 |align=center|61 |
| 30 km C |align=center|1'50:35.0 |align=center|60 |
{{ref begin}}
: 1 Starting delay based on 10 km results.
: C = Classical style, F = Freestyle
{{ref end}}
;Women
| class="wikitable" border="1" style="font-size:90%" |
| rowspan=2|Event
!rowspan=2|Athlete !colspan=2|Race |
|---|
| Time
!Rank |
| 5 km C |rowspan=4|Irina Nikulchina |align=center|20:52.6 |align=center|70 |
| 10 km pursuit2 F |align=center|34:13.5 |align=center|53 |
| 15 km C |align=center|57:07.2 |align=center|63 |
| 30 km F |align=center|1'31:04.7 |align=center|28 |
{{ref begin}}
: 2 Starting delay based on 5 km results.
: C = Classical style, F = Freestyle
{{ref end}}
Figure skating
{{main|Figure skating at the 1998 Winter Olympics}}
Four Bulgarian athletes participated in the figure skating events – Albena Denkova, Ivan Dinev, Sofia Penkova and Maxim Staviyski.
The men's singles took place on 12 and 14 February 1998. Dinev finished 11th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, Singles, Men |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/14168 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The women's singles took place on 18 and 20 February 1998. Penkova finished 28th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, Singles, Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/14189 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The ice dance took place on 13, 15 and 16 February 1998. Denkova and Staviyski finished 18th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, Ice Dancing, Mixed |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/14231 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
;Men
| class="wikitable" border="1" style="font-size:90%" |
| Athlete
!SP !FS !TFP !Rank |
|---|
| align=center
|align=left| Ivan Dinev |7 |14 |17.5 |11 |
;Women
| class="wikitable" border="1" style="font-size:90%" |
| Athlete
!SP !FS !TFP !Rank |
|---|
| align=center
|align=left| Sofia Penkova |28 |DNF |DNF |– |
;Ice Dancing
| class="wikitable" border="1" style="font-size:90%" |
| Athletes
!CD1 !CD2 !OD !FD !TFP !Rank |
|---|
| align=center
|align=left| Albena Denkova |18 |18 |18 |18 |36.0 |18 |
Short track speed skating
{{main|Short track speed skating at the 1998 Winter Olympics}}
Two Bulgarian athletes participated in the short track speed skating events – Evgeniya Radanova and Daniela Vlaeva.
The women's 500 m took place on 19 February 1998. In round one, Radanova finished first in heat six to advance to the quarter-finals. Vlaeva finished third in heat eight and did not advance. In the quarter-finals, Radanova was disqualified from heat three.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 500 metres, Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/673 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
The women's 1000 m took place on 21 February 1998. In round one, Radanova finished second in heat seven to advance to the quarter-finals. Vlaeva finished third in heat two and did not advance. In the quarter-finals, Radanova finished third in heat two and did not advance.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 1,000 metres, Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/693 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
;Women
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| rowspan="2"|Athlete
!rowspan="2"|Event !colspan="2"|Round one !colspan="2"|Quarter–finals !colspan="2"|Semi–finals !colspan="2"|Finals |
|---|
| Time
!Rank !Time !Rank !Time !Rank !Time !Final rank |
| Evgeniya Radanova
|rowspan="2"|500 m |align="center"|45.977 |align="center"|1 Q |align="center"|DSQ |align="center"|– |colspan="4"|did not advance |
| Daniela Vlaeva
|align="center"|46.681 |align="center"|3 |colspan="6"|did not advance |
| Daniela Vlaeva
|rowspan="2"|1000 m |align="center"|1:37.124 |align="center"|3 |colspan="6"|did not advance |
| Evgeniya Radanova
|align="center"|1:39.279 |align="center"|2 Q |align="center"|1:38.510 |align="center"|3 |colspan="4"|did not advance |
Snowboarding
{{main|Snowboarding at the 1998 Winter Olympics}}
One Bulgarian athlete participated in the snowboarding events – Mariya Dimova.
The women's giant slalom took place on 9 February 1998. Dimova completed her first run in one minute 23.31 seconds and her second run in one minute 19.53 seconds for a combined time of two minutes 42.84 seconds to finish 20th overall.{{cite web |title=1998 Winter Olympics, 1,000 metres, Women |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/693 |publisher=Olympedia |access-date=16 April 2025}}
;Women's giant slalom
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| rowspan="2"|Athlete
!Race 1 !Race 2 !colspan="2"|Total |
|---|
| Time
!Time !Time !Rank |
| Mariya Dimova
|align="center"|1:23.31 |align="center"|1:19.53 |align="center"|2:42.84 |align="center"|20 |
References
{{reflist}}
See also
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080522105330/http://www.la84foundation.org/5va/reports_frmst.htm Official Olympic Reports]
- [http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/results/search_r_uk.asp International Olympic Committee results database]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20200417040452/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/winter/1998/ Olympic Winter Games 1998, full results by sports-reference.com]
{{Nations at the 1998 Winter Olympics}}
{{Country at games navbox|Bulgaria|Olympics}}