Princeton University Athletics
Fencing's Dudas Names Hristo Hristov as Assistant Coach
August 24, 2006 | Men's Fencing, Women's Fencing
Princeton head fencing coach Zoltan Dudas has announced the hiring of Hristo Hristov as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's fencing teams.
“I promised the team when I met with them to solve the 'sabre question.'” Dudas said, citing one of Princeton's weaker areas last season. “One or two weapons are stronger and the other is weaker so I tried to find a coach for that weapon. I saw his character, how he worked with his students and the great results he had with them.”
Hristov has spent more than 25 years in coaching, beginning in his native Bulgaria as the coach of the Bulgarian junior national team from 1980-87. He ascended to coach the full national squad from 1987-91 before serving as an assistant coach for the team for 10 years.
“I decided to take it because this is one of the best universities in the world and in a lot of countries, they know it,” Hristov said.
Since 2001, Hristov has coached fencers in meets all over the United States, from Junior Olympic competitions to Summer Nationals and North American Cup meets.
Hristov counts his son, Kristian, as one of his most accomplished students. The younger Hristov was a three-time Bulgarian cadet sabre champion from 1998-2000, winning the Bulgarian Cup in 1999 and 2000. He represented his country at the Junior World Championships from 1999-2001 and at the Junior Olympics in 1998.
Hristov's senior students saw success on the international level in the late 1980s, claiming individual medals at World Championships and World Cups throughout Europe before beginning the 1990s with a fifth-place finisher at the World Championships in Denver, Colo.
As a junior coach, Hristov's students claimed gold medals at the Bulgarian national junior meet every year from 1981-87. Meanwhile, he guided his charges to medal performances at the 1985 Junior World Cup in Bonn, Germany, and a seventh-place finish at the Junior World Championships in Dormangen, Germany.
Hristov was a part of the Bulgarian national team from 1969-80, winning a national sabre title in 1976 and 1978. He also won a Balkan sabre title in 1976 and his team won that weapon five times in the 1970s.
Outside of coaching, Hristov has served as an international referee with an “A” rating in the sabre and a “B” rating in the foil and the epée since 1992. He has judged at five World Championships, 30 World Cups and at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Hristov is an alumnus of the National Academy of Sport of Bulgaria, completing his training in 1984. He can speak four languages: Bulgarian, Russian, English and French. Hristov is also a certified jeweler.
“I promised the team when I met with them to solve the 'sabre question.'” Dudas said, citing one of Princeton's weaker areas last season. “One or two weapons are stronger and the other is weaker so I tried to find a coach for that weapon. I saw his character, how he worked with his students and the great results he had with them.”
Hristov has spent more than 25 years in coaching, beginning in his native Bulgaria as the coach of the Bulgarian junior national team from 1980-87. He ascended to coach the full national squad from 1987-91 before serving as an assistant coach for the team for 10 years.
“I decided to take it because this is one of the best universities in the world and in a lot of countries, they know it,” Hristov said.
Since 2001, Hristov has coached fencers in meets all over the United States, from Junior Olympic competitions to Summer Nationals and North American Cup meets.
Hristov counts his son, Kristian, as one of his most accomplished students. The younger Hristov was a three-time Bulgarian cadet sabre champion from 1998-2000, winning the Bulgarian Cup in 1999 and 2000. He represented his country at the Junior World Championships from 1999-2001 and at the Junior Olympics in 1998.
Hristov's senior students saw success on the international level in the late 1980s, claiming individual medals at World Championships and World Cups throughout Europe before beginning the 1990s with a fifth-place finisher at the World Championships in Denver, Colo.
As a junior coach, Hristov's students claimed gold medals at the Bulgarian national junior meet every year from 1981-87. Meanwhile, he guided his charges to medal performances at the 1985 Junior World Cup in Bonn, Germany, and a seventh-place finish at the Junior World Championships in Dormangen, Germany.
Hristov was a part of the Bulgarian national team from 1969-80, winning a national sabre title in 1976 and 1978. He also won a Balkan sabre title in 1976 and his team won that weapon five times in the 1970s.
Outside of coaching, Hristov has served as an international referee with an “A” rating in the sabre and a “B” rating in the foil and the epée since 1992. He has judged at five World Championships, 30 World Cups and at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Hristov is an alumnus of the National Academy of Sport of Bulgaria, completing his training in 1984. He can speak four languages: Bulgarian, Russian, English and French. Hristov is also a certified jeweler.
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