PLPetko Lazarov
Petko Lazarov is a Bulgarian competition mathematician from Burgas. In July 2025 he represented Bulgaria at the 66th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) on Australia's Sunshine Coast, winning a bronze medal with 27/42 points and finishing on 1 point short of silver. He had taken gold months earlier at the 21st International Zhautykov Olympiad (IZhO 2025) in Kazakhstan with 28 points. A graduate of the High School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences 'Acad. Nikola Obreshkov' in Burgas (class of 2025), he was coached by Ganka Vateva and is now a student at Sofia University 'St. Kliment Ohridski' (Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics) while teaching maths at the Olimpiici school and authoring problems for Bulgaria's national olympiad team selection.
- Represented Bulgaria at the 66th IMO 2025 (Sunshine Coast, Australia), bronze medal, 27/42 pts, rank 177 - 1 point short of silver; first Bulgarian-team appearance.Jul 2025
- Co-author/author of national olympiad problems: a problem he submitted appeared on the 2026 Bulgarian National Math Olympiad (P4) and the NMO-2024 Pre-Team Selection Test - unusually early problem-setting recognition for a 2025 secondary graduate.Apr 2026
- Now teaches mathematics at the Olimpiici school - a former student turned instructor - which marks a shift from competitor to coach only months after his IMO appearance.2026
- After graduating (class of 2025) he enrolled at Sofia University 'St. Kliment Ohridski', Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics.Jun 2025
- Won gold at the 21st International Zhautykov Olympiad (IZhO 2025) in Kazakhstan with 28 pts (7/7 on four problems), months before IMO - a stronger signal than his IMO bronze, suggesting IMO P3/P6 remained his weak spot.Jan 2025
- Selected into Bulgaria's national IMO team on 12 May 2025, announced by his school PPMG 'Acad. Nikola Obreshkov' Burgas; trained since childhood with teacher Ganka Vateva ('eight years together').May 12, 2025
- Part of a 2025 Bulgarian IMO team that won 3 silver + 3 bronze (no gold) and placed 23rd; he and Hristov were the two Burgas members, making Burgas one of the strongest producing centres that year.Jul 19, 2025
- Fellow Burgas PPMG teammates on the 2025 national team: Angel Hristov (silver), sharing the same school and coach culture; team leaders Prof. Emil Kolev and Prof. Stanislav Harizanov (IMI-BAS).Jul 2025
- Received the NEXT award of Central Park Burgas (2025) together with Angel Hristov, presented by energy minister Zhecho Stankov.Jun 11, 2025
- Also competed at the 20th IZhO (2024): listed in the results, showing two consecutive Zhautykov appearances before his IMO debut.Jan 2024
Competition record
Bulgaria · IMO