Svetoslav Batov - master of sports and honored coach in artistic gymnastics - passed away at the age of 91, reports the Bulgarian Gymnastics Federation.
As head coach of the national team, he achieved exceptional successes, including 13 medals from the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, as well as from World Cups. Under his leadership, the Bulgarian team established itself among the world elite, twice placing fifth at the Olympic Games and fourth at the World Championships.
Svetoslav Batov is also an honorary international judge of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), leaving behind a lasting mark on the development of Bulgarian and world gymnastics.
The funeral service for Svetoslav Batov will take place on November 18 at 11:30 a.m. in the church of the Central Sofia Cemetery, BTA reported.
The leadership of the Bulgarian Gymnastics Federation expresses its condolences to the family, relatives and friends of Svetoslav Batov.
Svetoslav Dimitrov Batov was born on August 17, 1934 in Sofia. He has been passionate about gymnastics since his school days. In 1950, he began training at the railway physical education club Lokomotiv Sofia. He graduated from the "Georgi Dimitrov" State Physical Education School with a degree in Gymnastics.
He worked as a gymnastics coach at the Septemvri and Levski Sofia sports clubs, as well as as a teacher at the Sofia District Gymnastics School. Since 1968, he has been part of the Bulgarian Gymnastics Federation as a state coach, coach of the youth national team and senior coach of the national Olympic team. He was also the first vice-president of the Federation.
He holds the titles of "Master of Sports" and "Honored Coach". In the period 1976-1987, as head coach of the national men's team, he achieved significant successes in both team and individual competitions, with the national team winning 17 medals from the Olympic Games, World and European Championships and Cups. Under his leadership, Bulgarian gymnasts are consistently among the world elite, twice taking fifth place at the Olympic Games and fourth at the World Championships.
In 1985, at the Congress of the European Gymnastics Union, he was elected a member of the Men's Technical Committee. He served two terms as Vice President of the Men's Technical Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).
He was an honorary international judge of the FIG, having judged at five Olympics, over 10 World and 10 European Championships, as well as other international competitions, including European and World Cups. He was awarded the title of Honorary Member of the European Gymnastics Union and was awarded a gold medal for services to the development of European gymnastics.
He was awarded gold medals for services to the development of gymnastics in Bulgaria by the Bulgarian Gymnastics Federation and was twice awarded the high state order "Red Banner of Labor" for his successes at the Olympic Games.