Bulgarian outside hitter Aleksandar Nikolov is playing on top of his game. He is confident and in great headspace when talking about his future.

We talked to the young athlete after he led Bulgaria to a four-set victory against Canada on the opening day of the 2023 FIVB Volleyball U-21 Men’s World Championship at Isa Sport Hall in Manama, Bahrain.

“We’re definitely happy with the three points. A win is a win. We absolutely didn’t like it to be this close, but Canada played very well, and we weren’t as prepared as we should have been,” Nikolov stated.

Achieving goals is an important aspect of development in young athletes, but it takes confidence to set these aspirational goals first. For Nikolov, his statements tick all the boxes in setting and achieving goals. That’s why we know that this youngster is bound for success.

He sets goals that motivate him. His goals are specific, smart, measurable, attainable and time-bound. He manifests goals and puts them into action. And lastly, he sticks with it.

“My dream is to be the biggest player in the world obviously. I think everybody who is competing has this in mind. I want to be an Olympic medallist and to be that you must be an incredibly talented player. I’m trying to build my own style and way of playing because I want to help Bulgaria win an Olympic medal, so I am going to try to fit in their style of play.

“I’m going to stick to my goals for this year first. I want to reach the final of this World Championship and win a gold medal hopefully. Then we will focus on the European Championship and the Olympic Qualification next. To get an Olympic medal, you have to qualify for the Olympics first, so that’s my No. 1 goal,” he said with a big smile.

Such impressive wisdom for a 19-year-old, who has already played in the biggest competitions and achieved remarkable results. Just in this season, he has played and reached the finals of the Italian League with Cucine Lube Civitanova, then played the first two weeks of the Volleyball Nations League with the Bulgarian senior team in Nagoya and Orleans, and now skippering the Bulgarian U21 squad.

“I’m not going to lie because it’s tough not having rest, but since I’m young I must use these moments to grow and become the player I’ve always dreamed of being. So, I’m very happy I have this opportunity to play at every level,” he said.

He has clearly stepped out of the shadows of his father, Vladimir. And shared that having a father who was a volleyball superstar means benefitting from his deep knowledge and experience.

“Definitely when I was younger, I felt some pressure, but now it’s basically zero. I’m super proud that I have a father that has played at the highest level and taught me many things in sport. It has been very helpful.”

2023 FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship: Full Schedule

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FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship
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