Evgeniya RADANOVA

Evgeniya Radanova is the first Bulgarian athlete to compete both in the Winter and Summer Olympics, and also the first Bulgarian Winter Olympian to win more than one medal. After unremarkable results early in her career, she became European Champion five times in a row, 2000-2004, and again 2006-2007. The 500 m became her specialty, bettering the World Record in that distance three times. She won two medals at the Salt Lake City Olympics, despite suffering a chin laceration in late 2001. After these achievements, the Bulgarian track cycling coach approached her to try out cycling. She qualified for the 2004 Olympics as a sprinter, but did not achieve remarkable results. In 2006, Radanova retained her Olympic silver medal in the 500 m.