The recipient of the most prestigious individual sports award in our country will be announced on February 25, 2026 (Wednesday). The 68th "Athlete of the Year" poll will conclude with a special ceremony at Hyatt Regency Sofia, starting at 6:30 PM.

The organizer of the traditional poll is the Bulgarian Association of Sports Journalists with the support of WINBET. This year's edition saw the participation of 117 sports journalists from across the country, who determined the finalists in the various categories.

Who will contend for the most prestigious award?

The top ten contenders for Athlete No. 1 of Bulgaria for 2025 include (in alphabetical order):

• Albert Popov (alpine skiing)

• Aleksandar Vezenkov (basketball)

• Aleksandar Nikolov (volleyball)

• Bozhidar Saraboyukov (athletics)

• Ivan Ivanov (tennis)

• Karlos Nasar (weightlifting)

• Nikola Tsolov (motorsport)

• Simeon Nikolov (volleyball)

• Stiliyana Nikolova (rhythmic gymnastics)

• Tervel Zamfirov (snowboard)

The strong presence of volleyball is notable, with two representatives in the top 10 – Aleksandar Nikolov and Simeon Nikolov – highlighting the stable positions of this sport in the Bulgarian elite in 2025.

Immediately after the top ten in the ranking are numerous other prominent names, including Alex Grozdanov (volleyball), Dimana Ivanova (volleyball), Grigor Dimitrov (tennis), Kiril Milov (wrestling), Radoslav Yankov (snowboard), as well as representatives of boxing, swimming, fencing, sport shooting, and badminton.

A team, a coach, and an athlete with disabilities will also be honored.

In addition to the individual winner, awards will also be presented at the ceremony for:

• Team No. 1 of Bulgaria for 2025

• Coach No. 1

• Athlete No. 1 with disabilities

In the "Team of the Year" category, the choice will be between the world champions from the U19 women's national volleyball team and the world vice-champions from the men's national volleyball team. In both nominations, volleyball holds a central place – indicative of a strong year for the national squads.

For the second consecutive year, the special "Inspiration" award, established by the Bulgarian Association of Sports Journalists and WINBET, will also be presented. The award is given to an individual with a long-term contribution to the development of Bulgarian sports – through work, example, and support for athletes.

Additional special awards are also planned for distinguished athletes for their achievements and for their role as an example for future generations.

A tradition with deep roots

The "Athlete of the Year" poll has a history that began in 1958, when the first official survey, organized by "Naroden Sport", named basketball player Vanya Voynova as No. 1.

Stefka Kostadinova remains the record holder for winning the award with four first places. Boyan Radev and Stanka Zlateva have been named No. 1 three times each. Eight Bulgarian athletes have triumphed twice, including Grigor Dimitrov and Aleksandar Vezenkov.

Now there is only one question – who will add their name to this prestigious history on February 25.