Plamen Konstantinov
Encyclopedia
Plamen Georgiev Konstantinov is a former Bulgaria
n volleyball
player and captain
of the Bulgaria men's national volleyball team
,coach.
Konstantinov was born in Sofia
; both his parents, Georgi and Eva née Doycheva, are former volleyball internationals and his older brother Julian Konstantinov
is an opera
singer. Like his father, he bears the nickname Gibona ("The Gibbon"). He is 2.02 metres (79.5 in) tall and weighs 93 kilograms (205 lb).
Konstantinov finished a sports school and started his career with Levski Sofia
in 1986, where he remained until 1995; he spent some of the following season with Slavia Sofia
and then moved to Italy
to play for the Gioia del Colle
team. In 1996–97, he was a member of Greek Aris VC
and then of Turkish
Halkbank Ankara
(1997–99). From 1999 until 2004 he played in Greece for Orestiada
, PAOK Thessaloniki V.C., Iraklis VC, Olympiacos S.C. and Panathinaikos VC
. In 2004–05, he was with the French
Tours VB
and then in 2004–05 he represented the Montichiari
team. In 2005–06, he played in Poland
for Jastrzębski Węgiel and then in 2006–07 he was in Russia
with ZSKA Gazprom Surgut
. Since 2007, he has been a member of Iraklis VC. With Iraklis Thessaloniki
he won the silver medal at the 2008-09 Indesit Champions League and also was individually awarded "Best Receiver".
Konstantinov's awards and achievements include Bulgarian championship titles with Levski and Slavia, Greek championship titles with Aris, Iraklis, Olympiakos and Panathinaikois and a French championship title with Tours. He has also won the Greek Cup once and the Supercup twice with Iraklis and the Bulgarian Cup twice with Slavia. He has twice been awarded the Greek Championship Volleyball Player of the Year prize. In 2006, he won third-place bronze medals from the 2006 FIVB Men's World Championship and the 2007 FIVB Men's World Cup in Japan
with the Bulgaria national team. In 2008, he was voted Bulgaria's Man of the Year in an online poll organized by Darik Radio
.
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 volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
player and captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
of the Bulgaria men's national volleyball team
Bulgaria men's national volleyball team
The Bulgaria men's national volleyball team, controlled by the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation, is one of the leading volleyball teams in Europe and the world....
,coach.
Konstantinov was born 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...
; both his parents, Georgi and Eva née Doycheva, are former volleyball internationals and his older brother Julian Konstantinov
Julian Konstantinov
Julian Konstantinov is a Bulgarian operatic bass particularly known for his interpretations of the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giuseppe Verdi, and the bel canto roles of Rossini and Donizetti...
is an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer. Like his father, he bears the nickname Gibona ("The Gibbon"). He is 2.02 metres (79.5 in) tall and weighs 93 kilograms (205 lb).
Konstantinov finished a sports school and started his career with 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,...
in 1986, where he remained until 1995; he spent some of the following season with Slavia Sofia
Slavia Sofia (sports club)
Slavia Sofia is a sports club from Sofia, Bulgaria, founded in 1913.*HC Slavia Sofia, ice hockey team*PFC Slavia Sofia, football team...
and then moved to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to play for the Gioia del Colle
Gioia del Colle
Gioia del Colle is a town and comune in the province of Bari, Apulia, Italy. The town is located on the Murge plateau at 360 metres above sea level.- History :...
team. In 1996–97, he was a member of Greek Aris VC
Aris VC
Aris VC is a volleyball club from Thessaloniki, Greece, part of Aris Thessaloniki Sport Club. Aris participates in the A1 Division and it is one of the most historical teams of the whole club and of the most stable values of the Greek volleyball, inside and outside its borders.-History:Aris was the...
and then of Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Halkbank Ankara
Halkbank Ankara
Halkbank Ankara is a professional volleyball team based in Ankara, Turkey and sponsored by Halkbank. It plays in the Turkish volleyball league and in the CEV Champions League...
(1997–99). From 1999 until 2004 he played in Greece for Orestiada
Orestiada
Orestiada is the northeasternmost and northernmost city of Greece and the second largest city of the Evros peripheral unit of Thrace. The population is around 25,000. Orestiada is only 2 km west of the banks of the Evros, which forms a natural border between Greece and Turkey...
, PAOK Thessaloniki V.C., Iraklis VC, Olympiacos S.C. and Panathinaikos VC
Panathinaikos VC
Panathinaikos Volleyball Club is the professional volleyball team of Panathinaikos, the Athens-based multi-sport club. Founded in 1919, it is one of the oldest volleyball clubs in Greece.-History:...
. In 2004–05, he was with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Tours VB
Tours VB
Tours VB is a French volleyball club which is playing their home matches at the Salle Robert Grenon in Tours.Tours VB plays in Pro A, top volleyball league in France.The team also participates in the Men's CEV Champions League 2010–11....
and then in 2004–05 he represented the Montichiari
Montichiari
Montichiari is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on December 27, 1991....
team. In 2005–06, he played in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
for Jastrzębski Węgiel and then in 2006–07 he was in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
with ZSKA Gazprom Surgut
Surgut
Surgut is a city in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia, located on the Ob River near its junction with the Irtysh River, the largest in the autonomous okrug and the second largest in Tyumen Oblast. Population:...
. Since 2007, he has been a member of Iraklis VC. With Iraklis Thessaloniki
Iraklis VC
Iraklis Thessaloniki Volleyball Club is a volleyball team based in Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. It plays in A1 Greek Volleyball League and in CEV Champions League. Founded in the 1920s, it evolved in one of the most successful departments of G.S...
he won the silver medal at the 2008-09 Indesit Champions League and also was individually awarded "Best Receiver".
Konstantinov's awards and achievements include Bulgarian championship titles with Levski and Slavia, Greek championship titles with Aris, Iraklis, Olympiakos and Panathinaikois and a French championship title with Tours. He has also won the Greek Cup once and the Supercup twice with Iraklis and the Bulgarian Cup twice with Slavia. He has twice been awarded the Greek Championship Volleyball Player of the Year prize. In 2006, he won third-place bronze medals from the 2006 FIVB Men's World Championship and the 2007 FIVB Men's World Cup in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with the Bulgaria national team. In 2008, he was voted Bulgaria's Man of the Year in an online poll organized by Darik Radio
Darik Radio
Darik Radio is a Bulgarian Radio Station, specializing in news and comments from Bulgaria. It was launched at 12 am on January 21, 1993. Darik Radio is the biggest private radio station in Bulgaria. It has an extensive network of correspondents in nearly 20 countries in Europe and North America...
.
Club career
| Year | Club |
|---|---|
| 1986–1995 |  Levski SofiaLevski 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,... |
| 1995–1996 |  Iraklis VCIraklis VC Iraklis Thessaloniki Volleyball Club is a volleyball team based in Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. It plays in A1 Greek Volleyball League and in CEV Champions League. Founded in the 1920s, it evolved in one of the most successful departments of G.S... |
| 1996 |  Gioia del Colle |
| 1996–1999 |  Halkbank AnkaraHalkbank Ankara Halkbank Ankara is a professional volleyball team based in Ankara, Turkey and sponsored by Halkbank. It plays in the Turkish volleyball league and in the CEV Champions League... |
| 1999–2000 | Orestiada |
| 2000–2002 | PAOK Thessaloniki V.C. |
| 2002–2003 | Olympiacos S.C. |
| 2003–2004 | Panathinaikos VC Panathinaikos VC Panathinaikos Volleyball Club is the professional volleyball team of Panathinaikos, the Athens-based multi-sport club. Founded in 1919, it is one of the oldest volleyball clubs in Greece.-History:... |
| 2004 |  Tours VBTours VB Tours VB is a French volleyball club which is playing their home matches at the Salle Robert Grenon in Tours.Tours VB plays in Pro A, top volleyball league in France.The team also participates in the Men's CEV Champions League 2010–11.... |
| 2004–2005 | Montichiari |
| 2005–2006 |  Jastrzębski Węgiel |
| 2006–2007 |  ZSK Gasprom Surgut |
| 2007– | Iraklis VC |
Individuals
- 2008–09 CEV Champions League "Best Receiver"