Bulgaria competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. Bulgaria made their official debut at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. Bulgarian athletes had appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympics since 1924, except for three occasions: the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, and the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles because of Bulgaria's actions in World War II, the worldwide Great Depression and the Soviet boycott, respectively.
The Bulgarian Olympic Committee fielded 51 athletes, 29 men and 22 women, across 14 sports at the Games. It was the nation's smallest delegation sent to the Olympics since 1956, due to the absence of the men's volleyball squad and the ban of 11 weightlifters over a widespread doping offense. Track and field and wrestling accounted for the largest number of athletes on the Bulgarian squad with 11 entries, nearly half of the nation's full roster size. There was only a single competitor each in road cycling, fencing, and modern pentathlon (the country's return to the sport at the Olympic Games after 16 years).
Sixteen Bulgarian athletes competed at London 2012, including four members of the rhythmic gymnastics squad (led by Mihaela Maevska-Velichkova, Albanian-born Elis Guri in Greco-Roman wrestling, pistol shooter and 2015 European Games silver medalist Antoaneta Boneva, and the country's fastest sprinter and two-time European champion Ivet Lalova-Collio in both the women's 100 and 200 metres). Heading to her fourth straight Olympics as the most experienced competitor, Lalova-Collio was selected by the committee to carry the Bulgarian flag at the opening ceremony, the second time by a female in the nation's Summer Olympic history.
Bulgaria returned home from Rio de Janeiro with only three medals (one silver and two bronze), marking a slight improvement from the nation's overall tally at the previous Games (not taking into account subsequent changes to the medal tallies for the 2012 Games due to doping violations). All of Bulgaria's medalists were women for the first time in history; a silver to high jumper Mirela Demireva, and a bronze each to the rhythmic gymnastics group in the group all-around and freestyle wrestler Elitsa Yankova in the women's 48 kg.
Medalists
Medal Name Sport Event Date Athletics Women's high jump Wrestling Women's freestyle 48 kg Reneta KamberovaLyubomira KazanovaMihaela Maevska-VelichkovaTsvetelina NaydenovaHristiana Todorova Gymnastics Women's rhythmic group all-around
Competitors
| width=78% align=left valign=top | The following is the list of number of competitors participating in the Games: SportMenWomenTotalAthletics 5 6 11Badminton 0 3 3Boxing 2 1 3Canoeing 2 0 2Cycling 1 0 1Fencing 1 0 1Gymnastics 0 6 6Judo 2 0 2Modern pentathlon 1 0 1Rowing 2 0 2Shooting 2 1 3Swimming 2 1 3Tennis 1 1 2Wrestling 8 3 11Total 29 22 51
| width=22% align=left valign=top |
Medals by date Day Date Total Day 1 6 August 0 0 0 0 Day 2 7 August 0 0 0 0 Day 3 8 August 0 0 0 0 Day 4 9 August 0 0 0 0 Day 5 10 August 0 0 0 0 Day 6 11 August 0 0 0 0 Day 7 12 August 0 0 0 0 Day 8 13 August 0 0 0 0 Day 9 14 August 0 0 0 0 Day 10 15 August 0 0 0 0 Day 11 16 August 0 0 0 0 Day 12 17 August 0 0 1 1 Day 13 18 August 0 0 0 0 Day 14 19 August 0 0 0 0 Day 15 20 August 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1Total 0 1 2 3
Athletics
Bulgarian athletes achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event):
Track & road events AthleteEventHeat QuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankMitko TsenovMen's 3000 m steeplechase8:54.7914colspan=4 Did not advanceSilvia DanekovaWomen's 3000 m steeplechasecolspan=4 Did not advanceIvet LalovaWomen's 100 mcolspan=2 11.353 QDid not advanceWomen's 200 m22.611 Qcolspan=2 22.422 Q22.698Militsa MirchevaWomen's marathoncolspan=6 2:51:06108
Field events Men AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionRumen DimitrovTriple jump16.3626Did not advanceGeorgi IvanovShot put19.4925Did not advanceTihomir IvanovHigh jump2.291 Q2.2910Georgi TsonovTriple jump15.2039Did not advance
Women AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionMirela DemirevaHigh jump1.949 Q1.97Radoslava MavrodievaShot put17.2021Did not advanceGabriela PetrovaTriple jump13.9222Did not advance
Badminton
Bulgaria qualified three badminton players for each of the following events into the Olympic tournament. Linda Zechiri was selected among the top 34 individual shuttlers in the women's singles, while sisters Gabriela and Stefani Stoeva secured the women's doubles spot by virtue of their top 16 finish in the BWF World Rankings as of 5 May 2016.
AthleteEventGroup StageEliminationQuarterfinalSemifinalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankLinda ZechiriWomen's singlesW (12–21, 21–17, 21–16)W (21–17, 21–15)1 QL (15–21, 12–21)Did not advanceGabriela StoevaStefani StoevaWomen's doublesL (14–21, 11–21)L (22–24, 15–21)W (21–14, 21–19)3Did not advance
Boxing
Bulgaria entered three boxers to compete in each of the following weight classes into the Olympic boxing tournament. Stanimira Petrova had claimed her Olympic spot with a semifinal victory at the 2016 European Qualification Tournament in Samsun, Turkey, while Daniel Asenov and Simeon Chamov secured additional places on the Bulgarian roster at the 2016 AIBA World Qualifying Tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan.
AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankDaniel AsenovMen's flyweightW 2–1L 0–3Did not advanceSimeon ChamovMen's welterweightW 3–0L 0–3Did not advanceStanimira PetrovaWomen's flyweightL 1–2Did not advance
Canoeing
Sprint Bulgaria qualified a single boat in the men's K-1 1000 m for the Games through the 2015 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships. Meanwhile, one additional boat has been awarded to the Bulgarian squad in men's C-1 1000 m by virtue of a top two national finish at the 2016 European Qualification Regatta in Duisburg, Germany.
AthleteEventHeatsSemifinalsFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankMiroslav KirchevMen's K-1 1000 m3:39.3636Did not advanceAngel KodinovMen's C-1 200 m42.6944 Q42.9257Did not advanceMen's C-1 1000 m4:27.9045 Q4:30.5746 FB4:10.10214 Qualification Legend: FA = Qualify to final (medal); FB = Qualify to final B (non-medal)
Cycling
Road Bulgaria qualified one rider in the men's Olympic road race by virtue of his top 200 individual ranking in the 2015 UCI Europe Tour.
AthleteEventTimeRankStefan HristovMen's road raceDid not finish
Fencing
Bulgaria entered one fencer into the Olympic competition. Pancho Paskov had claimed his Olympic spot in the men's sabre by finishing among the top four individuals at the European Zonal Qualifier in Prague, Czech Republic.
AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankPancho PaskovMen's sabreW 15–14L 6–15Did not advance
Gymnastics
Rhythmic Bulgaria qualified a squad of rhythmic gymnasts for the individual and group all-around by finishing in the top 15 (for individual) and top 10 (for group) at the 2015 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.
AthleteEventQualificationFinalHoop BallClubsRibbonTotalRankHoopBallClubsRibbonTotalRankNeviana VladinovaIndividual17.66617.70017.80017.80070.9666 Q17.88317.75018.05017.05070.7337
AthleteEventQualificationFinal5 ribbons 3 clubs2 hoopsTotalRank5 ribbons 3 clubs2 hoopsTotalRankReneta KamberovaLyubomira KazanovaMihaela Maevska-VelichkovaTsvetelina NaydenovaHristiana TodorovaTeam17.56616.61634.1827 Q17.70018.06635.766
Judo
Bulgaria qualified two judokas for each of the following weight classes at the Games. Ivaylo Ivanov was ranked among the top 22 eligible judokas for men in the IJF World Ranking List of 30 May 2016, while Yanislav Gerchev at men's extra-lightweight (60 kg) earned a continental quota spot from the European region as Bulgaria's top-ranked judoka outside of direct qualifying position.
AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechageFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankYanislav GerchevMen's −60 kgW 110–000L 000–100Did not advanceIvaylo IvanovMen's −81 kgW 110–000W 010–000L 000–100Did not advanceL 000–100Did not advance7
Modern pentathlon
Bulgaria received an invitation from UIPM to send Dimitar Krastanov in the men's modern pentathlon to the Olympics, as one of the next highest-ranked eligible individuals, not yet qualified, at the 2015 European Championships, signifying the nation's return to the sport for the first time since 2000.
AthleteEventFencing(épée one touch)Swimming(200 m freestyle)Riding(show jumping)Combined: shooting/running(10 m air pistol)/(3200 m)Total pointsFinal rankRankMP pointsTimeRankMP pointsPenaltiesRankMP pointsTimeRankMP PointsDimitar KrastanovMen's19–161142142:04.961932633011:02.952638117933
Rowing
Bulgaria qualified one boat in the men's double sculls for the Olympics at the 2015 FISA World Championships in Lac d'Aiguebelette, France.
AthleteEventHeatsRepechageSemifinalsFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankGeorgi BozhilovKristian VasilevMen's double sculls6:44:314 R6:20.562 SA/B6:47.006 FB7:00.859 Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage
Shooting
Bulgarian shooters achieved quota places for the following events by virtue of their best finishes at the 2014 and 2015 ISSF World Championships, the 2015 ISSF World Cup series, and European Championships or Games, as long as they obtained a minimum qualifying score (MQS) by 31 March 2016.
AthleteEventQualificationSemifinalFinalPointsRankPointsRankPointsRankSamuil DonkovMen's 10 m air pistol57234colspan=2 Did not advanceMen's 50 m pistol54132colspan=2 Did not advanceAnton RizovMen's 10 m air rifle617.342colspan=2 Did not advanceMen's 50 m rifle prone621.227colspan=2 Did not advanceMen's 50 m rifle 3 positions116135colspan=2 Did not advanceAntoaneta BonevaWomen's 10 m air pistol37141colspan=2 Did not advanceWomen's 25 m pistol5835 Q118Did not advance Qualification Legend: Q = Qualify for the next round; q = Qualify for the bronze medal (shotgun)
Swimming
Bulgarian swimmers achieved qualifying standards in the following events (up to a maximum of 2 swimmers in each event at the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT), and potentially 1 at the Olympic Selection Time (OST)):
AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankVentsislav AydarskiMen's 10 km open watercolspan=4 1:53:16.115Aleksandar NikolovMen's 100 m freestyle50.0841Did not advanceNina RangelovaWomen's 100 m freestyle55.7131Did not advanceWomen's 200 m freestyle1:58.5722Did not advance
Tennis
Bulgaria entered two tennis players into the Olympic tournament. London 2012 Olympian Grigor Dimitrov (world no. 36) qualified directly for the men's singles as one of the top 56 eligible players based on the ATP World Rankings, while Tsvetana Pironkova (world no. 71) had claimed one of six ITF Olympic women's singles places, as Bulgaria's top-ranked tennis player outside of direct qualifying position in the WTA World Rankings as of 6 June 2016.
AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankGrigor DimitrovMen's singlesL 1–6, 4–6Did not advanceTsvetana PironkovaWomen's singlesL 6–1, 4–6, 2–6Did not advance
Wrestling