Petar Stoychev celebrates 50th birthday

Bulgarian marathon swimmer Petar Stoychev turns 50 on October 24. Stoychev is recognized as a world record holder and champion in open water swimming.

A defining moment in his career occurred on August 24, 2007, when he swam the English Channel in 6 hours, 57 minutes, and 50 seconds, becoming the first person to complete the crossing in under seven hours. His achievements include winning the World Marathon Swimming Cup for 11 consecutive years and securing a gold medal in the 25km open water event at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai.

Stoychev represented Bulgaria at four consecutive Summer Olympics: Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and London 2012. In 2018, he also completed a 1,000-meter swim in the icy waters of Antarctica at -0.8 degrees Celsius.