Never is a long time. Never ever is highly unlikely.

The renowned Petar Stoychev has never won a European champion in the 25km. Over the course of his four-time Olympic career, his 11 world titles on the Grand Prix circuit, his record-setting open water swims around the world including the English Channel, he has never won the European title in his specialty, the 25km.

The competition has been tough, very tough. And the European championships comes at the end of a very long season where Stoychev swims more races at longer distances in more countries than anyone else in the world.

But as the sun is beginning to set on the Bulgarian’s illustrious career, we guess that Stoychev badly wants one more title under his cap before retirement. Tomorrow is his chance in Piombino, Italy where the European 25km Championships will be held.

It is our guess that Stoychev will go out with the pack, hydrating and drafting as he so expertly does for hours on end. He will remain coyly in the hunt until 2-3 km to the finish when he will make a move to the front and will hang on to earn his first – and possibly last – European title.

It will be a fitting closure to a career for an athlete who never dreamed as a young boy he would travel to some many countries during his life. But when dreams clash with commitment, achievement is often a result.

As Great Britain’s Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once said, “Thoughts and ideas become words. Words become actions. What your actions are become your habits. What your actions are become your character. And your character becomes destiny. What we think, we become.”

And Petar Stoychev has become a great champion.

Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source