Tanyu Kiryakov

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Tanyu Kiryakov is a Bulgarian sport shooter born on March 2, 1963, in Ruse, Bulgaria. He is famous for his success in Olympic pistol events and is regarded as one of the all-time greats in the sport.

Kiryakov made history by becoming the first shooter to win Olympic gold medals in both the 50 metre pistol and the 10 metre air pistol events. He won the gold medal in the 10 metre air pistol at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, becoming the Olympic champion in that discipline. He then added another Olympic gold in the 50 metre pistol at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

In addition to his two golds, he earned a bronze medal in the 10 metre air pistol at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Across his career, he competed in six Olympic Games from 1988 to 2008, representing Bulgaria and solidifying his reputation for versatility and sustained excellence. He remains the only Bulgarian to have won two Olympic gold medals.