Bulgaria's national science teams won 103 medals in 2026: 24 gold, 42 silver and 37 bronze. Elena Marinova, deputy chair of the Association of Olympic Science Teams, gave the figures at a press conference at the BTA National Press Club.
This story follows our earlier report on the second edition of the campaign "Take Part! The Olympiad Is for Everyone", which said the edition would be announced on 14 October at the BTA National Press Club.
The medals come from international, European, regional, youth and Balkan olympiads. At nine major international science contests, the teams won 40 medals: 5 gold, 15 silver and 20 bronze, plus 4 honourable mentions.
Education and science minister Prof. Georgi Valchev and BTA secretary general Yulia Sokolova attended the press conference.
Marinova said Bulgaria is among the leading EU countries for results at international science olympiads, and first for gold medals per head of population.
The Education Ministry's olympiads run in three rounds: municipal, regional and national. In the municipal round in the 2025/2026 school year, 78,033 students took part, up from 71,037 a year earlier. That is a rise of 9.85%, or nearly 7,000 more entries. The figures come from the Regional Education Departments.
Participation grew in 22 of the country's 28 regions. The biggest rise was in Varna, at nearly 147%. Taking part in the olympiads is free.
The Association of Olympic Teams and the Regional Education Departments run the campaign. It aims to get more students, teachers and school heads to join the municipal rounds. BTA is the main media partner, as it was in the first year, when the campaign began on 2 October 2025 at the same venue.
Marinova said the olympiads are not only for a small group of exceptionally gifted students, but for every child with an interest in science. She said they lead to the national teams and international medals, but also let every student find new interests, develop their abilities and test themselves in science.
In the 2026/2027 season the campaign will continue and encourage students from across the country, including smaller towns and villages. Together with BTA, the organisers will tell the stories of students, teachers, school heads, Regional Education Department staff and people who back the olympiads, so that more children learn about the chances on offer and take the first step.
The press conference also named the "Olympian of Bulgaria for 2026". The award went to Andrey Stefanov, who studied at the First Private Mathematics High School in Sofia in the 2025/2026 school year. He won one gold medal each at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Shanghai, China, and the International Olympiad in Informatics in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
His interest in maths began in first grade, and in sixth grade he decided to study informatics in depth as well. Stefanov is one of the most successful young Bulgarian competitors in both subjects.
The Olympian of Bulgaria for 2025 was Veselin Markovich of the "Dr Petar Beron" Mathematics High School in Varna. He won gold at the International Olympiad in Informatics and silver at the International Mathematical Olympiad.