ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Olympic weightlifting medalist Velichko Cholakov passed away

Photo: library

Fans of sport in Bulgaria were saddened on Sunday by the news of the sudden death of Bulgarian weightlifting champion Velichko Cholakov, aged 35. 

Cholakov felt bad in the morning in his home and doctors were called but the emergency team could not save him. The weightlifter, also known as Iron Man, had a heart condition but the reason for his death is yet to be confirmed.

Velichko Cholakov was a bronze medalist from the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 in the 105-kg category, which makes him the only Bulgarian Olympic medalist in weightlifting in this heaviest category. Cholakov also grabbed the world champion's title, as well as the European champion's title in the same category.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.
Radio Bulgaria Sport    weightlifting

More from category

Kameliya Stoimenova sets a new national record in the 200-meter breaststroke

22-year-old Kameliya Stoimenova broke the national record in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke in a short course pool belonging to Bulgarian swimming legend Tanya Bogomilova, announced the “Sprint-Sofia” swimming club. The news was confirmed to bTV..

published on 11/3/25 3:40 PM
The Giro d'Italia will start from Bulgaria in 2026

Giro d'Italia 2026 will start in Bulgaria's coastal city Burgas

Bulgaria will host the first three stages of the 2026 Giro d'Italia cycling race , Radsport aktuell reports, quoted by BTA. According to the German publication, the 109th Giro will start in Bulgaria's city Burgas on the Black Sea coast in May,..

published on 10/29/25 3:35 PM

Grigor Dimitrov returns to court with victory in Paris

After 110 days off the court, Bulgaria's tennis star Grigor Dimitrov has qualified for the second round of the last Masters 1000 tournament of the year in Paris . He defeated the representative of the hosts Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6 (5), 6-1...

published on 10/28/25 10:46 AM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 20
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 19
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 11 | Max: 18
Overcast, rain
Min: 5 | Max: 18
Partly cloudy, chance of rain
Min: 9 | Max: 19
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 22
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 21
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 20
Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 19
Overcast, rain
Min: 3 | Max: 20
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 20
Overcast, rain
Min: 8 | Max: 17
Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 15
Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 18
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 19
Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 16
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 19
Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 20
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 11 | Max: 21
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 19
Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 17
Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 19
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 19
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 19
Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 19
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 18
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 18
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română
MOST VIEWED

Kameliya Stoimenova sets a new national record in the 200-meter breaststroke

22-year-old Kameliya Stoimenova broke the national record in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke in a short course pool belonging to Bulgarian swimming..

published on 11/3/25 3:40 PM

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"