Choose a language
Translations open in a new tab using Google Translate. English opens the original page.
28 of 28 languages
BULBulgariaSport:SwimmingPetar Stoychev is a Bulgarian swimmer whose career spans Olympic pool competition, championship open-water racing and long-distance crossings. Born in Momchilgrad on 24 October 1976, he began swimming as a child in Smolyan and developed into a leading competitor on the international marathon circuit.
On Friday 24 August 2007 he crossed the English Channel from England to France in 6 hours, 57 minutes and 50 seconds, becoming the first swimmer to break seven hours. Mike Oram piloted the escort boat Gallivant. The performance is presented here as a dated achievement, rather than a claim that the record remains unbeaten.
Stoychev represented Bulgaria at four Olympic Games, finishing sixth in the Beijing 2008 open-water 10km and ninth in London in 2012. His championship achievements include the 2011 world 25km title and the 2012 European title at the same distance, alongside sustained success on the professional marathon-swimming circuit.
His Channel record also includes a 7:21:08 solo in August 2006 and a return in September 2024. The latter completed his Oceans Seven campaign. In an account reproduced by Bulgarian National Television, he described starting at 23:34 on 1 September and swimming through strong wind and large waves. CS&PF records 10:12:00 for that third successful Channel swim.
First Channel crossing under seven hours · 6h 57m 50s
Crossing details, recordings & verificationSolo swim
Friday, 24 August 2007
England → France
Elapsed time · 6h 57m 50s
Start clock · 10:11:00 · Time zone not specified
Finish clock · 18:08:50 · Time zone not specified
Published account checked · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Solo swim
Tuesday, 22 August 2006 (recorded swim date)
England → France
Successful 7:21:08 solo; escort vessel disputed. The annual list names Aegean Blue and the historical detail names Gallivant.
Elapsed time · 7h 21m 8s
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Sources disagree · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Solo swim
Sunday, 1 September 2024 (start)
England → France
Departure confirmed as 1 September at 23:34. Published swim-date labels differ: 2 September in the annual list and 1 September in the historical entry; finish-date phase remains unconfirmed.
Elapsed time · 10h 12m 0s
Start clock · 23:34 · Time zone not specified
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Sources disagree · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Open-water swimming · Race
2005 · exact day not confirmed
Montreal, Canada
Bronze medal in 1:46:50.4.
Published distance · 10 km
Placing / category · 3rd · men
Published account checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
Open-water swimming · Race
Saturday, 23 July 2011 (event date)
Shanghai, China
Gold medal in 5:10:39.8.
Published distance · 25 km
Placing / category · 1st · men
Published account checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
1992
Placed fourth in the European junior 400m freestyle and second at the Ohrid swimming marathon.
2001–2011
Won the international marathon-swimming circuit title in eleven successive seasons.
24 August 2007
Completed England–France in 6h 57m 50s.
2008
Finished sixth in the 10km and carried Bulgaria's flag at the opening ceremony.
2011 / 2012
Won world gold in 2011 and European gold in 2012.
Tuesday, 22 August 2006
CS&PF records 7:21:08; the conflicting vessel names remain visible on the crossing record.
September 2024
The 10:12:00 night swim followed an explicitly reported 1 September departure.
Achievements update from recorded results. A tick means the supporting results are verified.
No eligible completed results are linked yet. Link a completed result to start the achievement collection.
First recorded finish
1 more finish needed
0 of 1 recorded
Selected swimming performances appear in the English Channel record above.
Log in or create a free account to see the full results history, achievements and profile details.
Confirm ownership through the claim process before editing a profile.