1. Overview
Maria Zdravkova Grozdeva-Grigorova (Мария Здравкова Гроздева-ГригороваBulgarian; born on 23 June 1972) is a Bulgarian retired sport shooter who specialized in 25 metre pistol and 10 metre air pistol events. She is recognized for her exceptional Olympic career, notably as the only woman to successfully defend the 25 metre pistol title at the Olympic Games. Grozdeva has secured a total of five Olympic medals, including two gold medals in the 25m pistol event from the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games, along with three bronze medals in the 10m air pistol event from the 1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta, and 2004 Athens Olympics. Beyond her Olympic success, she has achieved significant results in CISM World Championships and ISSF World Cups, and holds a current world record in the 25m pistol final. Grozdeva announced her retirement from professional sports after competing in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
2. Life
Maria Grozdeva's personal journey into the world of sport shooting began at a young age, leading her to pursue formal education in the field.
2.1. Birth and Early Career
Maria Grozdeva was born on 23 June 1972, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Her involvement in shooting sports commenced at the age of 11, marking the beginning of a distinguished career. She furthered her expertise by graduating in sports shooting from the National Sports Academy.
3. Major Activities and Achievements
Grozdeva's career is highlighted by her consistent performance and numerous medal wins at the highest levels of international competition, particularly at the Olympic Games.
3.1. Olympic Medals and Participation
Maria Grozdeva participated in seven consecutive Olympic Games, demonstrating remarkable longevity and skill in her sport. Her Olympic appearances include:
- 1992 Barcelona
- 1996 Atlanta
- 2000 Sydney
- 2004 Athens
- 2008 Beijing
- 2012 London
- 2020 Tokyo
She achieved significant success across these games, securing five medals in total:
- Two Gold Medals:
- 2000 Sydney: Women's 25m pistol
- 2004 Athens: Women's 25m pistol
- Three Bronze Medals:
- 1992 Barcelona: Women's 10m air pistol
- 1996 Atlanta: Women's 10m air pistol
- 2004 Athens: Women's 10m air pistol
Her comprehensive Olympic results are detailed in the table below:
Event 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2020 25 metre pistol 18th
57421st
574Gold
589+101.3Gold
585+103.25th
583+203.69th
58327th
57810 metre air pistol Bronze
383+98.6Bronze
389+99.538th
367Bronze
386+96.311th
38224th
37843rd
559
3.2. World Records and Other Competitions
Beyond her Olympic achievements, Grozdeva has also excelled in other major international competitions. She has achieved success at CISM World Championships and ISSF World Cups. Notably, she is a current co-holder of the world record in the 25 metre pistol event.
The current world record in 25 metre pistol, held by Maria Grozdeva and several other athletes, is 590 points in the Women (CISM) Individual category. This record was set by Grozdeva in 1996 in Sweden. Other co-holders include Li Duihong (1993, Norway), Stephanie Thurmann (2015, South Korea), Zhang Mengyuan (June 2, 2018, Thun, Switzerland), and Doreen Vennekamp (June 2, 2018, Thun, Switzerland).
4. Personal Life
Maria Grozdeva's personal life is closely intertwined with her professional career, particularly through her family.
4.1. Family
Maria Grozdeva is married to her coach, Valeri Grigorov. Together, they have three children.
5. Activities Outside Sporting Career
Grozdeva has also taken on leadership roles and made public appearances beyond her athletic endeavors.
5.1. Bulgarian Shooting Union
Maria Grozdeva was a founding member of the Bulgarian Shooting Union. She served as its president for a decade, from 2012 to 2022. She was succeeded in this role by Vesela Letcheva.
5.2. Media Appearances
In 2009, Grozdeva participated as a house guest in the third season of the reality television show VIP Brother in Bulgaria. She advanced to the final three contestants and ultimately finished as the runner-up for the season.
6. Olympic Flag Bearer
Maria Grozdeva had the honor of representing Bulgaria as the flag bearer during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games on two occasions. She carried the flag at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics and again at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. For the 2020 Tokyo Games, she shared the role of flag bearer with Yosif Miladinov.
7. Retirement
Maria Grozdeva announced her decision to retire from professional sports following her participation in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.