Svetla Zlateva
Encyclopedia
Svetla Stefanova Zlateva is a retired Bulgaria
n sprinter
and middle distance runner who specialized in the 400
and 800 metres
. She is a former world record holder in the latter event.
, and represented the club Levski Sofia
. She finished sixth in the 800 metres at the 1970 European Indoor Championships. At the 1971 European Indoor Championships she finished fourth in the 400 metres
and won a bronze medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay
. She then won the 800 metres bronze medal at the 1972 European Indoor Championships, finished fourth at the 1973 European Indoor Championships3 and again at the 1974 European Indoor Championships. She finished fifth at the 1977 European Indoor Championships and won the silver medal at the 1981 European Indoor Championships.
In winning an 800 metres medal at the 1972 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 Zlateva, these medals were taken by Stefka Yordanova
, Rositsa Pekhlivanova
, Nikolina Shtereva
, Lilyana Tomova-Todorova
and Totka Petrova
.
Zlateva also competed in the Olympic Games twice. At the 1972 Summer Olympics
she competed in 800 metres, winning her initial heat with the result 1:58.93 minutes. She finished second in her semi-final, and then fourth in the final race with 1:59.72 minutes. 1:58.93 was an Olympic record, and Zlateva even led the first 600 metres of the final race, but was overcome by both Hildegard Falck
, Nijolė Sabaitė
and Gunhild Hoffmeister
; Falck deleting Zlateva's Olympic record. However, Zlateva improved Falck's world record by 0.97 seconds, when she ran in 1:57.48 minutes in Athens
on 24 August 1973. She retained the record until 12 June 1976, when Soviet Valentina Gerasimova ran in 1:56.0 minutes. At her second Olympic Games in 1976
, Zlateva attacked her own personal best time. She first repeated the victory in the initial heat, then finished third in her semi-final with 1:57.93 minutes, and then sixth in the final race with 1:57.21 minutes. She also competed in the relay race, but the team failed to progress from round one. 1.57.21 minutes remained her personal best time. She had 52.9 seconds in the 400 metres, achieved in 1973.
She became Bulgarian 400 metres champion in 1971 and 1976, and both 800 and 1500 metres champion in 1973. She became Bulgarian indoor champion in the 400 metres in 1971, 1972 and 1973 and in the 800 metres in 1981.
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...
and 800 metres
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...
. She is a former world record holder in the latter event.
Career
She was born in Gorna OryahovitsaGorna Oryahovitsa
Gorna Oryahovitsa is a town in northern Bulgaria, situated in Veliko Tarnovo Province, not far from the city of Veliko Tarnovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Gorna Oryahovitsa Municipality...
, and represented the club Levski Sofia
Levski Sofia (sports club)
Levski Sofia is a sports club from Sofia, Bulgaria, founded in 1914. The club is named after Vasil Levski, the national hero of Bulgaria. It's football team PFC Levski Sofia, is its most popular sports branch. Other important branches are BC Levski Sofia, the basketball team and VC Levski Sofia,...
. She finished sixth in the 800 metres at the 1970 European Indoor Championships. At the 1971 European Indoor Championships she finished fourth 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...
and won a bronze medal 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...
. She then won the 800 metres bronze medal at the 1972 European Indoor Championships, finished fourth at the 1973 European Indoor Championships3 and again at the 1974 European Indoor Championships. She finished fifth at the 1977 European Indoor Championships and won the silver medal at the 1981 European Indoor Championships.
In winning an 800 metres medal at the 1972 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 Zlateva, these medals were taken by 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...
, Lilyana Tomova-Todorova
Lilyana Tomova-Todorova
Lilyana Tomova-Todorova , born 9 August 1946) is a retired Bulgarian sprinter and middle distance runner who specialized in the 400, 800 and 1500 metres....
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...
.
Zlateva also competed in the Olympic Games twice. At the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
she competed in 800 metres, winning her initial heat with the result 1:58.93 minutes. She finished second in her semi-final, and then fourth in the final race with 1:59.72 minutes. 1:58.93 was an Olympic record, and Zlateva even led the first 600 metres of the final race, but was overcome by both Hildegard Falck
Hildegard Falck
Hildegard Falck, née Janze is a retired German athlete who competed mainly in the 800 metres.She competed for West Germany in the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich in the 800 m she won the gold medal...
, Nijolė Sabaitė
Nijole Sabaite
Nijolė Sabaitė is a retired Lithuanian middle distance runner who represented internationally the USSR. She trained at VSS Nemunas in Vilnius....
and 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...
; Falck deleting Zlateva's Olympic record. However, Zlateva improved Falck's world record by 0.97 seconds, when she ran in 1:57.48 minutes 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...
on 24 August 1973. She retained the record until 12 June 1976, when Soviet Valentina Gerasimova ran in 1:56.0 minutes. At her second 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...
, Zlateva attacked her own personal best time. She first repeated the victory in the initial heat, then finished third in her semi-final with 1:57.93 minutes, and then sixth in the final race with 1:57.21 minutes. She also competed in the relay race, but the team failed to progress from round one. 1.57.21 minutes remained her personal best time. She had 52.9 seconds in the 400 metres, achieved in 1973.
She became Bulgarian 400 metres champion in 1971 and 1976, and both 800 and 1500 metres champion in 1973. She became Bulgarian indoor champion in the 400 metres in 1971, 1972 and 1973 and in the 800 metres in 1981.