| Nikolay Kolev Николай Колев |
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|---|---|
| Born | 20 February 1932 Toros (village), Lukovit Municipality, Bulgaria |
| Died | 10 June 2004 Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Occupation | Sports Journalist |
Nikolay Kolev, nicknamed Michmana (Bulgarian: Николай Колев - Мичмана) was a Bulgarian TV sports journalist. He will be remembered as a symbol of the national sports journalism, being a pioneer in the scope.
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Michmana was born on 20 February 1932 in the village of Toros in Lukovit Municipality, Lovech Province. He graduated in the Sofia University with subject Geography.
Nikolay Kolev started working with the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) in 1965 and from 1974 he is an editor-in-chief in the sports department.[1] Being specialized in a Football (soccer) matchs commenting, Michmana was an accredited commentator on eight of the FIFA World Cup competitions, seven of the UEFA European Football Championships and nine of the Olympic Games. The Uefa Clubs competitions, such as the old format of the Champions League and Cup Winners' Cup, were also broadcast with the well-known mellow timbre of the Kolev's voice. Furthermore, his person was usually associated with the Bulgarian football championship especially when it comes to the big derby between Levski FC and CSKA. During the years in BNT, Kolev built up his own distinguishable style of commenting. His colourful expressions became illustrious throughout the country of Bulgaria.
Memorable quotes of his are:
"...the colleague Pele next to me..." (when the famous Brazilian footballer commented for some television in the next to the Kolev's cabin)
and "...God is Bulgarian..." (when Kostadinov scored a crucial goal in the last minute of the match between France and Bulgaria that took the Bulgarian team to the 1994 FIFA World Cup).
After leaving the National television, in the middle of 1990s, Michmana worked for a while with Diema vision. In honor of Kolev, Diema found an annual award for journalism, named after him. The first prize winner is Kalin Katev, one more eminent Bulgarian sports journalist worked for the Bulgarian National Radio.[2]
Nikolay Kolev died in 2004 at the age of 72.