Yuliya Zlatkova is a fourth-year student who has mastered the art of prioritizing.
Long before entering the lecture halls of the Technical University - Sofia, her days were structured around early mornings, training, competitions, and constant travel.
Yuliya is an alpine skier, and as she developed her hobby to a professional level, the skill of discipline was naturally built.
Today, in her fourth year as a student of engineering design at the Technical University, the same discipline defines the way she navigates a completely different race - membership in the Executive Committee of the European University Sports Association. "It is definitely difficult. But when you have been a professional athlete and your whole life revolves around sports, you learn to prioritize. This helps me more than anything now," Yuliya explains.
She grew up in a family where skiing was not imposed, but rather a natural presence. With her two older brothers, they became professional skiers, guided by parents who chose support over pressure. "They always left us to make our own decisions. They guided us, but never pressured us to become professional athletes," the student shares.
She was only two years old when she got on skis for the first time - too young to remember it, just as she does not remember her first competition. What she remembers clearly is the joy: Vitosha, children's races, parents by the track. "It was pure happiness. Something very real. I see the same feeling today in university sports," Yuliya recounts.
But although she loves skiing and her achievements on the slopes are undeniable - she has finished first in many competitions - she did not choose a professional skiing career as a lifelong path. It was extremely important for her to receive a quality education. "I have always wanted to have an education. I didn't even ask why when I think about it. Maybe because sports have an end. You never know what will happen the next day. An injury can take you out forever or for months. This is not something you can work with for a lifetime. You can practice it, but it is not a job," Yuliya shares.
Her academic path led her to engineering design - a major that allows her to combine her interests in mathematics, physics, and creative thinking. She chose to study at the Technical University - Sofia because there she received the unconditional support and respect that not all institutions offer. "They created an individual study plan for me. The requirements are the same, the exams are the same. There is just flexibility. This respect makes a huge difference," Yuliya notes.
However, the balance between sport and education does not mean doing everything at once. Yulia is categorical on this point: "When I train, I train. When I am in exams, I study. The focus shifts. This ability for full concentration - and complete detachment - is something I have developed over the years of sport."
However, her latest transition puts this balance to the test more than ever before. In October, Yulia Zlatkova was elected as a member of the Executive Committee of the European University Sports Association (EUSA) as a student representative. The two-year term places her at the very heart of university sports governance in Europe. This is a role she enters not as an administrator by profession, but as someone who knows the system from the inside.
"I wanted to stay close to sport. And to use the experience I have accumulated over so many years for something bigger. Something better," Yulia shares. The path to this position was far from easy. Nominated by the Bulgarian University Sports Association, she built her campaign independently - researching the organization, connecting with representatives from different countries, and formulating a clear vision for student athletes in Europe.
Out of three candidates from three different countries, Yulia won the election in the first round with just over 51 percent of the votes. What distinguishes her is not the ambition for a position, but the insistence on representation. One of the first questions she raised during her campaign was why there is only one student representative in EUSA. In her current role, Yulia sees herself as a bridge - someone who brings the student perspective, new ideas, and real experience into structures often dominated by administrators and long-serving officials.
Yulia Zlatkova has never been obsessed with the idea of victory. But after so many achievements behind her, she feels a responsibility to influence greater tangible change. Her goals are directed towards better access and more opportunities for university sports in Europe. She hopes that more young people will have the chance to experience what sport has given her - discipline, direction, and doors they didn't even know existed.
webcafe.bg
Long before entering the lecture halls of the Technical University - Sofia, her days were structured around early mornings, training, competitions, and constant travel.
Yuliya is an alpine skier, and as she developed her hobby to a professional level, the skill of discipline was naturally built.
Today, in her fourth year as a student of engineering design at the Technical University, the same discipline defines the way she navigates a completely different race - membership in the Executive Committee of the European University Sports Association. "It is definitely difficult. But when you have been a professional athlete and your whole life revolves around sports, you learn to prioritize. This helps me more than anything now," Yuliya explains.
She grew up in a family where skiing was not imposed, but rather a natural presence. With her two older brothers, they became professional skiers, guided by parents who chose support over pressure. "They always left us to make our own decisions. They guided us, but never pressured us to become professional athletes," the student shares.
She was only two years old when she got on skis for the first time - too young to remember it, just as she does not remember her first competition. What she remembers clearly is the joy: Vitosha, children's races, parents by the track. "It was pure happiness. Something very real. I see the same feeling today in university sports," Yuliya recounts.
But although she loves skiing and her achievements on the slopes are undeniable - she has finished first in many competitions - she did not choose a professional skiing career as a lifelong path. It was extremely important for her to receive a quality education. "I have always wanted to have an education. I didn't even ask why when I think about it. Maybe because sports have an end. You never know what will happen the next day. An injury can take you out forever or for months. This is not something you can work with for a lifetime. You can practice it, but it is not a job," Yuliya shares.
Her academic path led her to engineering design - a major that allows her to combine her interests in mathematics, physics, and creative thinking. She chose to study at the Technical University - Sofia because there she received the unconditional support and respect that not all institutions offer. "They created an individual study plan for me. The requirements are the same, the exams are the same. There is just flexibility. This respect makes a huge difference," Yuliya notes.
However, the balance between sport and education does not mean doing everything at once. Yulia is categorical on this point: "When I train, I train. When I am in exams, I study. The focus shifts. This ability for full concentration - and complete detachment - is something I have developed over the years of sport."
However, her latest transition puts this balance to the test more than ever before. In October, Yulia Zlatkova was elected as a member of the Executive Committee of the European University Sports Association (EUSA) as a student representative. The two-year term places her at the very heart of university sports governance in Europe. This is a role she enters not as an administrator by profession, but as someone who knows the system from the inside.
"I wanted to stay close to sport. And to use the experience I have accumulated over so many years for something bigger. Something better," Yulia shares. The path to this position was far from easy. Nominated by the Bulgarian University Sports Association, she built her campaign independently - researching the organization, connecting with representatives from different countries, and formulating a clear vision for student athletes in Europe.
Out of three candidates from three different countries, Yulia won the election in the first round with just over 51 percent of the votes. What distinguishes her is not the ambition for a position, but the insistence on representation. One of the first questions she raised during her campaign was why there is only one student representative in EUSA. In her current role, Yulia sees herself as a bridge - someone who brings the student perspective, new ideas, and real experience into structures often dominated by administrators and long-serving officials.
Yulia Zlatkova has never been obsessed with the idea of victory. But after so many achievements behind her, she feels a responsibility to influence greater tangible change. Her goals are directed towards better access and more opportunities for university sports in Europe. She hopes that more young people will have the chance to experience what sport has given her - discipline, direction, and doors they didn't even know existed.
webcafe.bg
