*THIS RECORD HAS BEEN REVOKED.
After thoroughly reviewing new evidence regarding the record and consulting with international authorities, we have made the decision to revoke this world record. Our commitment to maintaining transparency and integrity in the verification process is paramount, and we take these matters seriously to uphold the highest standards
Tsanko Tsankov is a Bulgarian swimmer, multiple national champion, World Winter Swimming Champion, Master of Sport, holder of the Black Sea Record, and the first person in history to swim across the waters of Bulgaria’s largest bay, Burgas Bay.
Tsankov has successfully completed two of the most challenging marathons in the world as part of the Ocean Seven challenge — the Catalina Channel (USA) and the Cook Strait (New Zealand).
He is the first Bulgarian to swim across the Strait of Gibraltar (from Europe to Africa), which was successfully completed in a wetsuit on September 9, 2022.
He has been honored with the title of “Honorary Citizen of the Municipality of Burgas” and the “Honorary Badge of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.”
Biography
He was born on August 13, 1987, in Burgas. He began his swimming journey under coach Maria Chalakova at the swimming club “Chernomorets” in Burgas. Between 2005 and 2015, he trained under the national coach Kristian Minkovski. From 2016 to 2019, his personal coach was Krasimir Zahov. Since 2019, Tsankov has been training independently, and consulting with international coaches.
He is a multiple-time national champion in the breaststroke and individual medley disciplines. He holds the national record for the 100-meter individual medley (1:01.12) in the youth category. Tsankov won his first international gold medals at the prestigious German tournament SAV, Bremen in 2001 in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke events. Two years later, in 2003, he set two records in the 100-meter butterfly (58.91) and 400-meter freestyle (4:15.67) at the Princes’ Islands Championship (Turkey). Tsankov won a bronze medal in the 100-meter butterfly (57.73) at the Balkan Swimming Games in Pitești in 2005 (Romania) and participated in the European Swimming Championships (Budapest 2005), finishing 21st in the 200-meter butterfly (2:08.03).
Tsanko Tsankov also competed in the 27th Summer Universiade, held in July 2013 in Kazan, Russia, finishing 29th in the 400-meter individual medley (4:41.60).
He made history by winning a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle (52.39) in 2018, becoming the oldest champion in the history of Bulgarian competitive swimming.
Tsanko Tsankov was awarded the title of “Master of Sport” on July 27, 2014, in Sofia.
He is the vice world champion in the 400-meter freestyle (age group 30-34; 4:15.12) and the 200-meter individual medley (2:10.63) at the 17th World Masters Swimming Championships (Budapest 2017).
He also made history by becoming the Bulgarian champion in the largest number of individual disciplines — nine (100, 200, 400-meter individual medley, 50, 100, 200-meter butterfly, 50, 100-meter freestyle, and 50-meter backstroke).
He ranks fourth in the all-time Bulgarian rankings for the 100-meter individual medley, following national record holder Yosif Miladinov, Mihail Alexandrov and Anthony Ivanov.
Tsanko Tsankov was voted the first-ever “Mister Swimming” in 2017 in a large-scale campaign organized by the most reputable Bulgarian swimming website, bgswim.com, and the magazines “Swimming & Water Polo” and “SPRINT.”
Open Water Swimming
A major highlight in Tsanko Tsankov’s competitive career is his achievement of becoming the first person in history to swim across the waters of Bulgaria’s largest bay — the Burgas Bay. The distance of 46,800 meters is also the longest solo swim ever recorded in the millennia-long history of the Black Sea, involving the six countries bordering it (Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, and Turkey). As a result, the achievement became widely known as the “Black Sea Record,” and Tsanko Tsankov earned the title of “Master of the Black Sea.”
Tsanko Tsankov was awarded the highest state honor for his contribution to the development of sport — the Honorary Badge of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The award was presented to him personally by Krassen Kralev, Minister of Youth and Sports.
The entire equipment used during the historic first swim across the Burgas Bay, including his swimsuit, goggles, and cap bearing the national tricolor, was donated to the National Sports Museum. The donation ceremony took place on December 10, 2019, at the National Stadium “Vasil Levski.” The gear is now part of the museum’s collection and has been on display for visitors since early 2020. With this achievement, Tsanko Tsankov became the first athlete from Burgas and the fourth Bulgarian swimmer to have his place in the National Sports Museum.
Tsanko Tsankov was named Burgas Citizen of the Year for 2019.
12-Hour non stop Swimming Record
On August 22, 2020, Tsanko Tsankov broke the record for 12-hour non stop swimming in a 50-meter pool, surpassing the psychological milestone of 1,000 laps in an Olympic pool. The previous record was set by legendary Slovenian swimmer Martin Strel in 1996 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Now, on September 19, 2024, he managed to reach the brilliant mark of 120 kilometers, uninterruptedly in 18 hours and one minute.
The athlete swam in the Danube River from the village of Yasen (Republic of Bulgaria), ending up on land shortly after passing the ship Radetzky (Kozloduy).
