Zlateva, Svetla

She was born in Gorna-Oryahovitsa , represented the Levski club Sofia. ^[1] It was the sixth in the 800 m distance at the 1970 European Championships Indoors . ^[2] At the 1971 European Championships, she finished fourth at 400 meters indoors and won a bronze medal in the 4 x 400 m relay . ^{[3] [4]} Won the bronze medal at a distance of 800 m at the European Championships in 1972 indoors , ^[5] fourth place in the European Championships in 1973 ^[6] and 1974 indoors . ^[7] Finished fifth at the 1977 European Championships ^[8] and won the silver medal at the 1981 European Championships Indoors . ^[9]

Having won a medal at a distance of 800 m at the European Championships in 1972, she continued the tradition of successful performances of Bulgarian athletes at these competitions, where they won medals at a distance of 800 m in 1972 , 1973 , 1975 , 1976 , 1977 , 1978 and 1979 . In addition to the Gold Medal, they won Stefka Yordanova, Rositsa Pehlivanova, Nikolina Shtereva , Lilyana Tomova and Totka Petrov. ^[ten]

Twice participated in the Olympics. At the 1972 Summer Olympics, she performed at 800 meters, winning the preliminary race with a score of 1.58.93 (Olympic record). In the semifinal there was the second, and then the fourth in the final with a score of 1.59.72. She led the first 600 meters of the final race, but Hildegard Falk, Niele Sabaite and Gunhild Hoffmeister walked past it; In this race, Falk exceeded the Olympic record of Zlateva. ^[11] On August 24, 1973, in Athens Zlatev, by 0.97 seconds exceeded the world record Falk, having run a distance of 1.57.48. The record lasted until June 12, 1976, when Soviet runner Valentina Gerasimova ran a distance of 1.56.0. ^[12] At her second Olympiad in 1976, Zlateva won the first race, finished third in the semi-finals with a score of 1.57.93, but in the final was only the sixth with a score of 1.57.21. She also acted in the relay, but the team failed to reach the second round of the competition. The result of 1.57.21 minutes remained her personal record until the end of appearances in big-time sports. ^[13] Her personal best at 400 m - 52.9 was shown in 1973.

She was a champion of Bulgaria at a distance of 400 m in 1971 and 1976, and at a distance of 800 and 1500 m in 1973, ^[14] as well as a champion of the country in closed rooms in the 400 m race in 1971, 1972 and 1973 and 800 meters in 1981. ^[15]

Zlateva was married to a wrestler, a participant in the Olympic Games, Ivan Kolev . During this time, she was known as Svetla Zlateva-Koleva .