Mincho Pashov

Mincho Pashov (Bulgarian: Минчо Пашов) (7 November 1961 – 15 November 2019^[1]) was a Bulgarian weightlifter. He won the bronze medal in the 67.5 kg in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.^[2][3] In 1980 and 1981 he was a world junior champion. He is three-time World Senior vice-champion - 1981, 1982, 1985, and two-time European Senior vice-champion - 1981, 1982, in 67,5 and 75 kg category. At the World Championship in 1982 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, he and Yanko Rusev improved six world records in six minutes in the category up to 75 kg. Pashov started training weightlifting in 1972 under Gancho Karushkov. He studied at the Vasil Levski Sports School and continued his education at the National Sports Academy. Mincho Pashov competed for the teams of Maritsa Plovdiv (1972 – 1981), CSKA (1981 – 1982) and Levski-Spartak (1982 – 1986). Pashov has won a total of 25 medals - 7 gold, 12 silver and 6 bronze, in total, snatch and clean and jerk from Olympic Games, World and European Championships. Despite being a very strong contender, Pashov never won a top gold medal on the international arena. He had a superb opponents’ list including his teammates Yanko Rusev and Joachim Kunz when he pursued the win in the lightweight. And then in the middleweight he was facing, first, Yanko Rusev and then another fascinating athlete Alexander Varbanov. Pashov set three world records in his career – all three in the clean-and-jerk in the 75 kg class.

Mincho Pashov

Portrait on his memorial plaque
Personal information
Born	November 7, 1961 (1961-11-07) Shishmantsi
Died	15 November 2019(2019-11-15) (aged 58) Plovdiv
Medal record Men's Weightlifting Representing  Bulgaria Olympic Games 1980 Moscow 67.5 kg World Championships 1981 Lille 67.5 kg 1982 Ljubljana 75 kg 1985 Södertälje 75 kg 1980 Moscow 67.5 kg European Championships 1981 Lille 67.5 kg 1982 Ljubljana 75 kg IWF World Cup 1982 Tatabanya 75 kg 1983 Meissen 75 kg 1983 Cardiff 75 kg Junior World Championships 1980 Montreal 67.5 kg 1981 Lignano Sabbiadoro 67,5 kg Junior European Championships 1981 Lignano Sabbiadoro 67.5 kg Balkan Championships 1984 Kikinda 82.5 kg Danube Cup 1980 Trenčín 67.5 kg 1981 Ebensee 67.5 kg 1984 Vidin 75 kg Friendship Cup 1982 Frunze 75 kg Kakousis-Tofalos Cup 1986 Athens 82.5 kg Bulgarian Championships 1985 Sliven 75 kg 1982 Varna 75 kg Bulgarian Junior&Youth Championships 1977 Targovishte 56 kg 1978 Haskovo 60 kg 1979 Plovdiv 60 kg 1980 Plovdiv 75 kg 1981 Vidin 67,5 kg

References

1. "Olympedia – Mincho Pashov". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
2. "Mincho Pashov". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
3. "Mincho Pashov". Database Olympics. Retrieved 25 August 2016.