Published on 15 January 2025 Mario Matikanov won a bronze medal at the World University Winter Games in Turin! The student from the National Sports Academy "Vasil Levski" finished third in the 10 km freestyle discipline. Competing against 99 athletes from 52 countries, the NSA sophomore was bested only by a Norwegian and a Finn – representatives of nations with rich traditions in winter sports. This medal is Bulgaria's first in cross-country skiing at the World University Games in 45 years, since Ivan Lebanov’s world championship title. The team’s head coach, Assoc. Prof. Ivan Birnikov, was very pleased with Matikanov’s performance but also expressed regret that the NSA student, who was leading two kilometers before the finish, missed the chance for an even better placement. The Games in Turin continue until January 23, with intense competition featuring over 6,000 athletes from 57 countries. Bulgaria's delegation of 19 athletes is organized by the Association for University Sports "Academic," chaired by Assoc. Prof. Petar Zografov, a lecturer at NSA. Bulgaria has more medal opportunities in alpine skiing and snowboarding, while Mario Matikanov’s strongest discipline is yet to come. | 
