Lilyana Tomova-Todorova
Encyclopedia
Lilyana Tomova-Todorova , born 9 August 1946) is a retired Bulgaria
n sprinter
and middle distance runner who specialized in the 400
, 800
and 1500 metres
.
She was born in Plovdiv
, and represented the club Trakiya Plovdiv. She won a silver medal in a 4 x 392 metres relay race at the 1974 European Indoor Championships. She also reached the final of the 800 metres event, but did not finish the race. At the 1974 European Championships in the summer she won the gold medal in the 800 metres and silver in the 1500 metres. In winning gold she beat the reigning Olympic 800 metres bronze medallist Gunhild Hoffmeister
by 0.67 seconds, but Hoffmeister won the 1500 metres.
Tomova-Todorova continued to win the silver medal in the 800 metres at the 1976 European Indoor Championships. She competed once at the Olympic Games, in 1976
. Here she finished second in her initial 800 metres heat, but was knocked out in the semi-finals. She also competed in the 4 x 400 metres relay
, but the team did not progress past the first round.
In winning an 800 metres medal at the 1976 European Indoor Championships, she was a part of a strong tradition of Bulgarian 800 metres runners, who won medals at the European Indoor Championships in 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979. Other than Tomova-Todorova, these medals were taken by Svetla Zlateva
, Stefka Yordanova
, Rositsa Pekhlivanova
, Nikolina Shtereva
and Totka Petrova
.
She became Bulgarian 400 metres champion in 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972 and 1973 as well as 800 metres champion in 1972. She became Bulgarian indoor champion in the 400 metres
in 1970 and 1976.
Her personal best in the 400 metres was 51.99 seconds, achieved in August 1973 in Athens
. Her personal bests in the 800 and 1500 metres were both achieved in the finals of the 1974 European Championships in Rome
: 1:58.14 minutes in the 800 metres and 4:05.0 minutes in the 1500 metres. She also had 2:36.4 minutes in the 1000 metres, achieved in July 1976 in Sofia
.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n sprinter
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
and middle distance runner who specialized in the 400
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
, 800
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
and 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
.
She was born in Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
, and represented the club Trakiya Plovdiv. She won a silver medal in a 4 x 392 metres relay race at the 1974 European Indoor Championships. She also reached the final of the 800 metres event, but did not finish the race. At the 1974 European Championships in the summer she won the gold medal in the 800 metres and silver in the 1500 metres. In winning gold she beat the reigning Olympic 800 metres bronze medallist Gunhild Hoffmeister
Gunhild Hoffmeister
Gunhild Hoffmeister is a retired East German middle distance runner who specialized in the 800 and 1500 metres.At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich where she won the silver medal in the 1500 metres. She then won her second medal at the games in the 800m by finishing third...
by 0.67 seconds, but Hoffmeister won the 1500 metres.
Tomova-Todorova continued to win the silver medal in the 800 metres at the 1976 European Indoor Championships. She competed once at the Olympic Games, in 1976
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
. Here she finished second in her initial 800 metres heat, but was knocked out in the semi-finals. She also competed in the 4 x 400 metres relay
4 x 400 metres relay
The 4 x 400 meters relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams comprise four runners who each complete 400 meters or one lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events, the first 500 meters is run in lanes...
, but the team did not progress past the first round.
In winning an 800 metres medal at the 1976 European Indoor Championships, she was a part of a strong tradition of Bulgarian 800 metres runners, who won medals at the European Indoor Championships in 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979. Other than Tomova-Todorova, these medals were taken by Svetla Zlateva
Svetla Zlateva
Svetla Stefanova Zlateva is a retired Bulgarian sprinter and middle distance runner who specialized in the 400 and 800 metres. She is a former world record holder in the latter event.-Career:...
, Stefka Yordanova
Stefka Yordanova
Stefka Yordanova was a Bulgarian sprinter and middle distance runner who specialized in the 400 and 800 metres.Born in Burgas, she ran at the 1971 European Indoor Championships and won a bronze medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay. She then won the 800 metres gold medal at the 1973 European Indoor...
, Rositsa Pekhlivanova
Rositsa Pekhlivanova
Rositsa Pekhlivanova is a retired Bulgarian middle distance runner who specialized in the 1500 metres.She was born in Sliven, and represented the clubs Sliven, Levski-Spartak Club and Tundzha Yambol during her career. She won the bronze medal in the 800 metres at the 1975 European Indoor...
, Nikolina Shtereva
Nikolina Shtereva
Nikolina Pavlova Shtereva is a retired Bulgarian middle distance runner who specialiced in the 800 and 1500 metres. She is best known for her silver medal in 800 metres at the 1976 Summer Olympics, and at the European Indoor Championships she won gold medals in 1976 and 1979 and a bronze medal in...
and Totka Petrova
Totka Petrova
Totka Nikolaeva Petrova is a retired female middle distance runner who represented Bulgaria in the 1970s and the early 1980s. She specialized in the 800 and 1500 metres, and won numerous international medals. She is still the Bulgarian 1500 metres record holder.-Career:She was born in Yambol, and...
.
She became Bulgarian 400 metres champion in 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972 and 1973 as well as 800 metres champion in 1972. She became Bulgarian indoor champion in the 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
in 1970 and 1976.
Her personal best in the 400 metres was 51.99 seconds, achieved in August 1973 in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. Her personal bests in the 800 and 1500 metres were both achieved in the finals of the 1974 European Championships in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
: 1:58.14 minutes in the 800 metres and 4:05.0 minutes in the 1500 metres. She also had 2:36.4 minutes in the 1000 metres, achieved in July 1976 in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
.