Balgarianovinite.com The World Championship for Athletes with Down Syndrome was officially opened in Sofia on Sunday with a parade of nations and a musical programme. The championship will run until June 19. BTA is a media partner of the event.
The patron of the championship, President Iliana Iotova, addressed participants and guests and officially declared the competition open.
More than 400 athletes from 27 countries are taking part in the championships, which are being held in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe for the first time. Competitors will contest medals in five sports: athletics, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, tennis and table tennis.
Bulgaria will be represented by 20 athletes across all disciplines. The Bulgarian team includes five athletes in athletics, five in men’s artistic gymnastics, seven in rhythmic gymnastics, and one competitor each in tennis, table tennis and women’s artistic gymnastics.
The opening celebrations began with a parade of nations, which started at St Nedelya Square and proceeded along Vitosha Boulevard to the area in front of the National Palace of Culture (NDK), where a special stage had been erected. The procession was led by Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev.
Among the official guests were Youth and Sports Minister Encho Keryazov, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev, Federation for Adapted Physical Activity Bulgaria President Slav Petkov, Bulgarian Boxing Federation President Krasimir Ininski, Bulgarian Gymnastics Federation President Krasimir Dunev, and others.
The musical programme featured performers Krisko, Lyubo Kirov and Maria Ilieva, who sang the championship anthem, “You Are Part of Us”. Other participants included The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices choir, Maria, lead singer of the Talasamche group, the Wonders majorette formation, and the Marching Stars children’s orchestra.
Federation for Adapted Physical Activity Bulgaria President Slav Petkov has said the championships generated exceptionally strong international interest and were made possible through the efforts of numerous institutions and partners, including the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Sofia Municipality and corporate sponsors.
The championships’ ambassadors include Olympic, world and European weightlifting champion Karlos Nasar and Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov. Olympic silver medallists Krasimir Dunev and Boryana Kaleyn serve as ambassadors for artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, respectively. World Championship for Athletes with Down Syndrome Opens in Sofia 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-06-14 19:10:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law