site.btaTervel Zamfirov Keeps Medal Hopes Alive, Radoslav Yankov Drops Out After Round of 16

Bulgaria’s Tervel Zamfirov reached the semifinals of the men’s parallel giant slalom in Alpine snowboarding at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Sunday, while the other Bulgarian in the direct eliminations, Radoslav Yankov, was knocked out in the round of 16.

The 20-year-old Winter Games debutant Zamfirov was fifth after the morning’s qualification run, giving him the right to choose which of the two courses to take against his opponent, 12th-placed Elias Huber (Germany). The Bulgarian started on the faster blue course and built a lead of almost half a second in the upper section. Huber tried to catch up and was close at the finish, but Zamfirov held on and advanced in the fight for the medals.

The experienced 36-year-old Radoslav Yankov, 13th in the qualification, rode on the red course against fourth-placed Arnaud Gauthier (Canada). The duel was very even, but in the end, Gauthier won by just 0.11 seconds.

In the quarterfinals earlier on, Tervel Zamfirov exacted Bulgarian revenge on Gauthier, eliminating him in a head-to-head clash by only 0.03 seconds after an extremely tight race.

The defending champion Benjamin Karl (Austria), 40, also progressed following a dramatic victory, finishing just 0.03 seconds ahead of local favourite Maurizio Bormolini.

Karl’s next opponent will be his 45-year-old compatriot Andreas Prommegger.