Stela Eneva donated to NSA her first Paralympic medal, won in Beijing in 2008

Stela Eneva, the renowned athlete and alumna of the NSA „Vasil Levski“, donated to the Academy her first medal from the Paralympic Games – a silver one, won in the discus throw event at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. The ceremony took place during the discussion event titled „Strength, Spirit, and Legacy – The Journey of Stela Eneva“, held at the Educational and Olympic Center on October 23, 2025, and organized by the Department of „Management and History of Sport“.

The head of the Center, Prof. Lozan Mitev, opened the event in the presence of Rector Prof. Krassimir Petkov, numerous lecturers, and students. He stated that NSA is the best place for preserving the Academy’s sports history, as it unites spiritual and physical education in the formation of character and professionalism. He added that it is wonderful that, in addition to the medal, Eneva will also leave behind a symbolic confession and message from a great athlete who has competed under challenging circumstances.

„I am deeply grateful to Stela Eneva, as this is the first Paralympic medal we have received. The first ones are always remembered. Everything we do here at the Center is for the young people at the Sports Academy, preserving the living history of NSA’s students for the sake of their present and future colleagues. That’s why you should be proud that the people whose legacy you inherit as students have achieved such remarkable results,“ said Rector Prof. Petkov.

„I have mixed feelings right now. This is my first Paralympic medal. There is sadness in parting with it, but also fulfillment. Each medal is first forged from noble metal, then inscribed, and finally given a ribbon… But the real forge is on the sports field, and for me, that forge is NSA. That’s why this is the right place for this medal. Here I grew as a person, spiritually and physically, and built my name. I am confident that a few years from now, when you graduate from the Academy, you too will be confident in your strength as specialists and sports leaders and will serve as role models for those who come after you,“ Stela Eneva told the students.

The great athlete presented the medal to Prof. Petkov, thanking him for the important role NSA played in her life and sports career. In return, the Rector presented her with a donation certificate, an Academy badge, and souvenirs.

Eneva also expressed gratitude to her lecturers present at the ceremony – Assoc. Prof. Velichka Aleksandrova and Assoc. Prof. Stefka Dzhobova from the AFAS sector of the Department of „Water Sports“, and Assoc. Prof. Nina Atanasova from the Department of „Management and History of Sport“, who, as a close friend, was the main inspiration behind the idea to donate the medal.

The meeting continued with many questions to the champion and concluded with commemorative photos.

The medal that Eneva donated to the exhibition of the Educational and Olympic Center is the first of her three most significant career achievements, along with two silver medals in discus throw and shot put from the London 2012 Paralympic Games. In addition, Stela is a world and European champion with medals in athletics for athletes with disabilities.

Outside the official part, Prof. Petkov presented to the Educational and Olympic Center, through its director Prof. Mitev, the honorary plaque awarded to him during NSA’s delegation visit to Cyprus at the International Studies Expo 2025, held on October 18–19 in Nicosia. During the visit, meetings were also held with representatives of the Union of Bulgarians in Cyprus, as well as with teachers, students, and parents at the Bulgarian School „Nikola Vaptsarov“ in the city.