Bulgaria came first overall at the Shotokan Karate-do World Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. Youth and sports minister Keryazov honoured the athletes who returned home with gold medals.
Mihaela Dimitrova, Hristiyan Vasilev, David Antonov, Remi Bobev, Martina Chan, Aleksandra Stefanova and Damyan Nikov won world titles in different events and age groups.
At the ceremony, the minister congratulated the champions. "With your persistence, discipline and will to win, you are an example and an inspiration for children taking their first steps in sport," Keryazov said.
He also congratulated coaches Dimitar Todoranov, Georgi Georgiev and Sonya Kuyumdzhieva on the team's preparation. Behind every successful athlete stand their coaches and parents, the minister said, and without them the results would not have come. "I know how much work, effort and sacrifice lie behind every medal," he added.
Keryazov thanked the Bulgarian Shotokan Karate-do Federation and its chairman, Aleksandar Slavkov, for developing the sport and strengthening Bulgaria's standing abroad. The ministry, he said, is always open to talks, new ideas and discussion of the problems facing sports organisations.
Slavkov thanked the ministry for its partnership and its support for Shotokan karate-do in Bulgaria.