Svishtov Danube Swim Attracts 168 Participants, From 79-Year-Old Veteran to 3-Year-Old

The 68th annual mass crossing of the Danube River took place near Svishtov, Bulgaria, with 168 swimmers taking part. The event, organized by the Svishtov municipality together with the Bulgarian Swimming Federation, saw participants from across the country and a child from Barcelona, Spain. Groups from the towns of Elena and Pavlikeni were the largest, and the crossing was facilitated by three ferries that shuttled swimmers to the Romanian bank before they were escorted back across by rescue crews and boatmen.

Among the competitors, 79‑year‑old Vasil Galey of Pavlikeni was honoured as the oldest participant, while Veliko Kazandzhiev of Elena received a certificate for the most appearances, with 60 swims to his name. The youngest swimmers were 3‑year‑old Viktor Stoyanov and 4‑year‑old Raya Todorova, both from Elena. The Todorov family stood out as the most numerous, with five members spanning three generations.

The ceremony was closed by Svishtov Municipal Council Chairman Kristiyan Kirilov, who, together with councilor Valeri Nikolov and sports coordinator Valeri Dimov, presented awards and thanked the Ministry of Defence, the Border Police and other agencies for their support.