EUROPEAN BIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIP IN BULGARIA'S BANSKO
SofiaEcho weekly
Bansko will host the European biathlon championship on February 18.
In recent years, Bulgaria has made remarkable progress in the sport, which has become one of the most popular winter sports in the country.
Olympic champions Ekaterina Dafovska and Ravlina Filipova have contributed to its wide popularity in Bulgaria.
Vessela Lecheva, head of the State Agency for Youth and Sport, said that she was happy that Bulgaria had a place among the countries that had contributed considerably to the development of biathlon, and that she was happy that Bulgaria had won the recognition of the International Union to be allowed to hold the European championships.
“I believe that we will be good hosts and that our guests will feel wonderful here amid the beauty of the Pirin Mountain and will take away unforgettable memories from Bulgaria in their hearts,” Lecheva said.
Bulgaria has not hosted a big biathlon event for more than 10 years.
Vassil Tonchev, president of the Bulgarian Biathlon Federation, said: “We are convinced that we are now ready to return to being among the countries able to organise competitions of the highest rank in our favourite sport. We are developing a new complex, consisting of a stadium and a course, in Bansko mountain resort. We hope that they will fulfil the expectations of the professionals as well as of the fans of biathlon,” Tonchev said.
