Rumyana Neykova
Encyclopedia
Rumyana Neykova is a Bulgaria
n rower. Neykova competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics
, the 1996 Summer Olympics
, the 2000 Summer Olympics
, where she won silver in Single Sculls, the 2004 Summer Olympics
, where she won bronze and the 2008 Summer Olympics
, where she won gold in the same discipline. Her current coach is her husband Svilen Neykov
. In 2002, she set the world best time of 7:07:41 on 21 Sept in Seville ESP and she was named Bulgarian Sportswoman of the Year, as well as FISA
Female Rower of the Year.
Neykova has been involved in rowing since 1985, when she began training at CSKA Sofia
coached Verka Aleksieva. In 1989, she was vice-world junior champion, winning that title in 1990. After several unsuccessful attempts with women's doubles and quadruples, she switched to Single Sculls and won her first medal at the 1999 world championships in Canada
. She has two world titles in that discipline, at Sevilla 2002 and Milan
2003, as well as being world second in 2007 in Gifu
.
At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
, she narrowly lost the Olympic title to Ekaterina Karsten
of Belarus
by photo finish
, in what was seen in Bulgaria as a very controversial judges' decision. After the Olympics, she took a one-year break, giving birth to her son Emil in 2001. At the Athens Olympics in 2004, she finished third in Single Sculls, behind Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski
of Germany
and Karsten. At the 2005 world championships, she also competed in Double Sculls, coming second together with Miglena Markova
.
Neykova finally won her first Olympic title at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing
, beating Michelle Guerette
of the United States
as well as her year-long rival Karsten to secure the gold medal on 16 August. With her title in Beijing, Neykova has a full collection of Olympic medals: a silver, a bronze and a gold one.
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 rower. Neykova competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
, the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, where she won silver in Single Sculls, the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, where she won bronze and the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, where she won gold in the same discipline. Her current coach is her husband Svilen Neykov
Svilen Neykov
Svilen Emilov Neykov is Bulgarian rower and rowing coach, current Minister of Physical Education and Sport in Bulgaria . He is known for coaching his wife, 2008 Olympic gold medalist rower Rumyana Neykova. She has gold, silver and bronze medal from three consecutive Summer Olympic Games.Neykov was...
. In 2002, she set the world best time of 7:07:41 on 21 Sept in Seville ESP and she was named Bulgarian Sportswoman of the Year, as well as FISA
International Rowing Federation
The Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, or FISA for short, is the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for international Rowing. Its current president is Denis Oswald...
Female Rower of the Year.
Neykova has been involved in rowing since 1985, when she began training at CSKA Sofia
CSKA Sofia (sports club)
CSKA Sofia is a Bulgarian sports society from Sofia, Bulgaria, which was founded on May 5, 1948 as Septemvri pri CDV, аfter the unification of the two sports clubs from the city, Chavdar and Septemvri...
coached Verka Aleksieva. In 1989, she was vice-world junior champion, winning that title in 1990. After several unsuccessful attempts with women's doubles and quadruples, she switched to Single Sculls and won her first medal at the 1999 world championships in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She has two world titles in that discipline, at Sevilla 2002 and Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
2003, as well as being world second in 2007 in Gifu
Gifu, Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...
.
At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, she narrowly lost the Olympic title to Ekaterina Karsten
Ekaterina Karsten
Ekaterina Karsten is a famous rower from Minsk, Belarus, an Olympic champion and world champion in single sculls....
of Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
by photo finish
Photo finish
A photo finish occurs in a sporting race, when two competitors cross the finishing line at near the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to discriminate between which of the competitors crossed the line first, a strip photo, a series of rapidly triggered photographs, or a video taken at the...
, in what was seen in Bulgaria as a very controversial judges' decision. After the Olympics, she took a one-year break, giving birth to her son Emil in 2001. At the Athens Olympics in 2004, she finished third in Single Sculls, behind Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski
Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski
Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski is a German rower and two-time Olympic gold medalist.- External links :* Olympics Database...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Karsten. At the 2005 world championships, she also competed in Double Sculls, coming second together with Miglena Markova
Miglena Markova
Miglena Markova is a Bulgarian rower. Along with Anet-Jacqueline Buschmann she finished 4th in the women's double sculls at the 2004 Summer Olympics.- External links :* at sports-reference.com...
.
Neykova finally won her first Olympic title at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, beating Michelle Guerette
Michelle Guerette
Michelle Guerette is an American rower who competed in the Women's Quadruple Sculls event at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as well as her year-long rival Karsten to secure the gold medal on 16 August. With her title in Beijing, Neykova has a full collection of Olympic medals: a silver, a bronze and a gold one.