Nedelcho Lazarov Kolev (Bulgarian: Неделчо Лазаров Колев, born 26 March 1953 in Kableshkovo) is a Bulgarian Olympic,^[1] European and World Weightlifting Champion. He had success at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow and won 6 gold medals at the world championships in Manila and Havana, Cuba. He has worked as chief coach for the national teams of Bulgaria, Bahrain, India, Thailand and Indonesia. From 1965 to 1980 he competed only for CSKA Sofia club. His coaches were Angel Akrabov and Zdravko Koev. In the national team of Bulgaria was trained by Ivan Abadzhiev. Kolev has won a total of 29 medals from the Olympic Games, World and European Championships in total, snatch and clean and jerk - 11 gold, 11 silver and 7 bronze. He has set 16 world records - 11 for men and 5 for juniors. He was named Sportsperson of the Year of Bulgaria for 1973.

Quick Facts Medal record, Men's weightlifting ...

Nedelcho Kolev

Medal record
Men's weightlifting
Representing  Bulgaria
Olympic Games
	1980 Moscow	-75 kg
World Championships
	1973 Havana	-75 kg
	1974 Manila	-75 kg
	1979 Thessaloniki	-75 kg
	1975 Moscow	-75 kg
	1980 Moscow	-75 kg
European Championships
	1973 Madrid	-75 kg
	1974 Verona	-75 kg
	1979 Varna	-75 kg
	1980 Belgrade	-75 kg
	1975 Moscow	-75 kg
Bulgarian Championships
	1977 Yambol	-75 kg]]
	1972 Sofia	-75 kg]]
	1974 Vidin	-75 kg]]
	1979 Sofia	-75 kg]]
Bulgarian Junior&Youth Championships
	1970 Shumen	-67,5 kg]]
	1971 Plovdiv	-67,5 kg]]
	1969 Asenovgrad	-60 kg]]
	1968 Burgas	-56 kg]]

Close

Kolev is the father of singer Ruth Koleva.

Kolev is former president of the Bulgarian weightlifting federation.^{[citation needed]}