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and that it goes directly to the athlete. It’s easier to plan everything this way. “It’s also great that I received fi nancial support as a reward for competing at the Olympic Winter Games qualifi cation events.” The Olympic Solidarity scholarship programme was fi rst introduced for an Olympic Winter Games at Vancouver in 2010; in the four years that followed, a total of 440 athletes received fi nancial support – with 273 ultimately qualifying for Sochi 2014. By the time of the Closing Ceremony in the Russian city, scholarship holders had won 17 medals, seven of which were gold, while 51 athletes were awarded diplomas for securing 4th-8th place fi nishes. Olympic Solidarity funding for PyeongChang 2018 is reaching 86 NOCs in total, helping more than 450 athletes through its scholarship programme. However, as useful as this subsidy can be for so many athletes aiming to make it to PyeongChang, Grigoreva stresses it is worth very little if the money is not put to good use. “This scholarship is a perfect opportunity awarded only to a selected few, so use it wisely,” she advises her fellow athletes. “Think carefully and set your priorities as to how to use the money so that you can fully benefi t from it. This might be your best chance to become a great athlete and to achieve great results.” Such a reality check is of vital importance as PyeongChang 2018 edges ever closer and form, rather than fi nancial support, becomes the overriding factor in determining whether an athlete enjoys a successful Games or not. However, the support provided by Olympic Solidarity programmes to many athletes who would otherwise struggle to fund their qualifi cation bids remains as valuable as ever, having an overwhelmingly positive impact on so many athletes from all parts of the world. “Participating in the Olympic Games is a dream of any athlete,” testifi es Grigoreva. “Being able to take part again for the third time – all thanks to Olympic Solidarity – will make me incredibly happy.” ■ How has Olympic Solidarity helped you in your preparations for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018? I was awarded the scholarship in October 2016 and it has been a huge help, because it has provided me with the means to pay for better medical rehabilitation as well as better accommodation during training camps and also at competitions. This aid is vital for an athlete like me from a smaller country like Bulgaria with fewer fi nancial resources, and has contributed to my development in my sport. Thanks to this scholarship, I feel I am in the best condition possible as I continue to prepare for the Olympic Winter Games in 2018. What is the best thing about the scholarship? I think it’s the fi nancial certainty I now have every month. I do not have to worry about these [fi nancial aspects], and I can concentrate on my training and on boosting my performances. It’s very important to have this mental clarity with the Games getting closer and closer. What are your earliest memories of the Olympic Winter Games? My fi rst Olympic memories are from Turin in 2006, when I was a teenager and I trained with the Bulgarian team but did not compete. After the training, we watched some of the competitions in different sports and I dreamed that one day I would be on such a big stage, producing good results. How happy were you with your performances at Sochi 2014? I fi nished 21st in the parallel slalom and 25th in the giant slalom, and although I must admit that Sochi was hard for me because my level of performance was not that high, I was pleased with my ranking. I learned a lot in 2014; it certainly made me a better athlete, and I will be stronger in PyeongChang thanks to the experience. What is your target at PyeongChang 2018? My goal for the Games is the same as it is in every race – to perform at my best possible level. Beyond that, I will be very happy if I am able to improve on the ranking I achieved in Sochi and I defi nitely believe this is possible. My challenge is to take all the hard work I have done over the last few years and transfer that into results on the slope. The Bulgarian snowboarder has been preparing for his second Olympic Winter Games with the help of an Olympic Solidarity scholarship INTERVIEW: RADOSLAV YANKOV ‘THANKS TO THIS AID, I FEEL I AM IN THE BEST CONDITION POSSIBLE’ RADOSLAV YANKOV 60 OLYMPIC REVIEW OLYMPIC SOLIDARITY