Marathon swimming is mostly related to the development of a very healthy psyche. This was announced in an interview with BGNES by one of our best open-water swimmers, the international and European record holder Tsanko Tsankov.

At a special event at Georgi Asparuhov Stadium on Sunday, 12 October, he received a jersey with the number 9 from Levski CEO Daniel Borimirov before the home game of Botev Plovdiv in the 17th round of the First League.

“The number was chosen by the management of Levski football club. It is a great honor for me to receive this jersey, I personally have been a fan of Levski since I was a little boy and this is the first time I have been honoured with such an honour. To be honest, my favourite number is 3, but it was already taken in Levski’s numbering and for this reason they have chosen number 9. It’s not related to the marathons that we run or the number that is somehow with me,” Tsankov commented on receiving the jersey and continued:

“When I can, I always follow football. Today I will watch the whole game, I will support the Levski team and I hope for a win.”

Tsankov is the world and European record holder for a 12-hour swim without stopping in a 50-meter pool, as well as the first person in history to swim across the water area of Burgas Bay. The 36-year-old swimmer is the first to swim the Strait of Gibraltar, with his most recent achievement being swimming the nearly 40-kilometre distance from the Strait of Gibraltar. Santa Catalina to Los Angeles.

Regarding marathon swimming and his preparation for it, he said the following: “ Marathon swimming is mostly linked to the development of a very strong mentality, which is very important for a long-distance swimmer. I prepare it almost entirely in the swimming pool, but also open water because the swimming marathons I have coming up next year are in very cold waters. Even yesterday I swam in the Black Sea, in the area of Burgas Bay, where the water temperature is now about 17 degrees.”

Regarding what’s next for him in the new year 2024, Tsankov revealed: “In April, from 1-10, we will be at Cook Strait in New Zealand – it’s one of the most difficult swimming marathons in the world, it represents the distance between the two islands of New Zealand – it’s about 25 km. which is not very big, but the conditions are extremely difficult. The water temperature reaches a maximum of 14 degrees, the area is characterized by its very strong currents, large waves, and one of the main habitats of one of the largest ocean predators, namely the great white shark. I hope we don’t have a meet like this – the safety of the swimmers is ensured to the best of the organizers’ ability. From 1-10 April is our period, already at the end of the swimming season – I hope to perform in the most gutsy way.”

The native swimmer also said that he has repeatedly received recommendations from Peter Stoychev. “I have received a lot of valuable advice from him, in general, for my preparation, for open water swimming – otherwise he has registered one participation in the seven most difficult swimming marathons in the world – namely the English Channel, which he swam, if I am not mistaken, in 2006 “.

“I am very happy that in Bulgarian swimming we still have many great talents. Young athletes, very promising – we have a world junior champion. Especially for marathon swimming and open water swimming – first of all, it is not for every swimmer, and secondly, I think a swimmer should have already reached a certain age to have accumulated enough training and racing kilometers, experience, and pretty good stamina behind him to be able to go into open water. But I hope that some of our best swimmers to date will be able to continue our achievements in open water,” concluded Tsanko Tsankov.

Source: BGNES