Coach Stefan
This page will introduce you to the founder of the Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy, coach Stefan. You must understand that there is so much to be said as the information here captures a span of 2 decades of dedication towards gymnastics. We divided it into a few sections:
- Short introduction
- Gymnastics competitions (to learn more about Stefan’s performances in competitions)
- Education and Scientific Research (to learn more about Stefan’s degrees and his contribution to the science of gymnastics)
- Professional Experience (to witness videos and photos from Stefan’s coaching career)
Please take your time while scrolling through this information, and enjoy the highlighted videos. So, who is Stefan Kolimechkov? Let’s start with some facts.
Dr Stefan Kolimechkov
Age: 37
Born in: Bulgaria
Nationality: naturalised British citizen
Lives in: London, United Kingdom
Education: PhD in Physical Education
Position: Director of Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy Ltd
Occupation: Personal Trainer / Gymnastics Coach
Personal website: www.stk-sport.co.uk
Head Office: Niddry Lodge, 51 Holland Street, Kensington, London W8 7JB, UK
Coach Stefan is the Director and owner of the Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy. He is a Level 3 qualified gymnastics coach and he has been teaching gymnastics in London since 2013. Before moving to London, Stefan worked as a gymnastics coach at one of the biggest sports clubs in Bulgaria (Levski) from 2008 until 2012. Stefan’s passions are gymnastics, scientific research, and his genuine curiosity towards slowing the agеing process. Stefan obtained his PhD degree in Pedagogy of Physical Education from the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry at the National Sports Academy, Bulgaria in 2018. Overall, his research focuses on assessing health-related physical fitness, as well as areas within the field of sport and exercise sciences. Stefan was awarded the Chartered Activity and Health Practitioner status by CIMSPA in 2020. Chartered status is the pinnacle of professional recognition awarded by the sector’s chartered professional body in the UK, CIMSPA.
Dr Stefan has spoken at many international academic conferences in sports medicine and exercise science around the world, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Spain, Czech Republic, Finland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Stefan has been the Vice President of FIEPS Europe (International Federation of Physical Education and Sport) for Western Europe since 2021.
Stefan has been recognised as a Fellow of the European College of Sport Science (FECSS) by the Credentials, Awards & Tributes Committee of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS) for a significant contribution to the development of sport science through research.
The Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy is the end product of Stefan’s vast practical and academic experience of 20 years in the sport of gymnastics.
Gymnastics Competitions
Stefan’s maltese cross on the Rings at the 2023 Adult Gymnastics British Championships.
Stefan competed in a few international championships, many national, regional and masters gymnastics competitions, each of which had its own story and is equally important regardless of its level or competitive rank. Some of his best achievements include:
- 4th place in the National Men’s Rings Final (Bulgaria)
- 3 x London Rings Champion
- British Gymnastics Champion (Master’s athletes over 30)
- British University Rings Champion (Grade 2)
One of Stefan’s most significant events was his participation at the UK’s top competition Men’s London Open Gymnastics Championships in 2016 (watch his routine by clicking on the video below).
The gallery below features Stefan’s most recent performances for his club in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, Stefan was awarded the bronze medal, and in 2024 he won the gold medal at the Adult Gymnastics British Championships in his age category (30+ for master’s athletes). In 2024, Stefan was also part of the GB Gymnastics Team for masters athletes, and he took part at the 2024 Master’s Gymnastics World Cup in Cambridge, MA, USA, where he helped the team to rank 4th. Stefan also ranked 12th on the Rings as an individual representing the Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy.
Education and Scientific Research
Bachelor of Arts
Sport and Physical Education
Stefan completed his education in Bulgaria with remarkable success. During his Bachelor’s degree at the National Sports Academy, Stefan received high praise for his exceptional coursework presentation. Professor Nikola Hadjiev PhD, DSc, a distinguished figure in the gymnastics world, commended the work for its clarity and engaging delivery, awarding it the highest possible mark and recognizing Stefan’s potential. In 2011, Stefan obtained his Bachelor’s degree in two majors: Sports and Physical Education.
Master of Arts
Physical Education
In 2012, Stefan pursued a Master’s degree in Physical Education, focusing his research on the nutritional habits of young gymnasts. Under the guidance of Dr. Lubomir Petrov, he successfully completed his dissertation, earning the highest possible grade. His academic achievements, including a GPA of 5.94 and 62 credits, led to him being awarded a Master’s degree from the renowned institution, The National Sports Academy in Bulgaria, which is known for its high-quality physical education programmes that meet European standards.
Doctor of Philosophy
Pedagogy of Physical Education
In 2013, Stefan moved to London and started working as a gymnastics coach. In 2015, he started a distance learning PhD programme in Physical Education at the National Sports Academy in Bulgaria while living and working in London. Stefan focused his research on the physical development and nutrition of young gymnasts. Throughout his PhD programme, he published in international journals, presented at prestigious conferences, and earned several professional certifications. His dedication and achievements culminated in the successful defence of his doctoral thesis in 2018, earning him the title of Doctor of Philosophy.
In 2018, at the age of 30, Stefan Kolimechkov was officially admitted to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, which has been one of his greatest achievements in his life. The video below contains unique moments from Stefan’s PhD defence at the National Sports Academy in Bulgaria.
As part of his scientific interests, Stefan presented research related to gymnastics at one of the biggest conferences in the world, including the ECSS congress, ACSM annual meeting, BASES conference, and others. Probably, one of the most important presentation was the one given at the 2019 ECSS Congress in Prague, in which Stefan presented findings from a study on body composition and nutrient intake of elite rhythmic gymnasts from Bulgaria. The participants of this study consisted of a unique sample of world-class competitors, bronze medallists from the 2016 Olympic games in Rio, and gold medallists from World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. You can watch a video of Stefan’s presentation below.
Coach Stefan spent more than a decade researching the effects of the gymnastics practice on the health-related fitness of children. He published multiple articles in international scientific journals within the areas of sport, health and exercise sciences as a lead author and co-author. Stefan presented his research work around the world (check the gallery below).
You can read Stefan’s articles on Google Scholar.
Qualified Teacher Status
Stefan holds a Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) for teaching in schools in England, awarded by the Department for Education in the UK in 2014.
Gymnastics Coach
Stefan holds the Level 3 UK Coaching Qualification in Gymnastics, awarded by British Gymnastics in 2018.
Doctor of Philosophy
Stefan possesses a Bachelor’s degree in Sports, as well as a Master’s degree and a PhD in Physical Education (with a Doctoral thesis on the benefits of gymnastics at primary school age).
Stefan continued his higher education in the United Kingdom. In line with his short and long-term goals, interests, and passion for research, Stefan took the decision to pursue a second PhD. He is currently an MPhil/PhD postgraduate research student at the University of Greenwich, London. Stefan’s project explorers the effectiveness of microcurrent electrical stimulation and resistance exercise on counteracting the loss of muscle mass and strength which accompanies ageing.
Professional Experience
- DIRECTOR / GYMNASTICS COACH
Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy Ltd, London, United Kingdom (2022 – PRESENT) - GYMNASTICS COACH / PERSONAL TRAINER
STK SPORT, London, United Kingdom (2013 – 2022) - GYMNASTICS COACH
St Edmund’s Primary School, London, United Kingdom (2015 – 2018) - GYMNASTICS COACH
Elite Gymnastics Academy CIC, London, United Kingdom (2013 – 2020) - GYMNASTICS COACH
Levski-Spartak 08 Gymnastics Club, Sofia, Bulgaria (2008 – 2012)
Throughout the years, Stefan worked in Bulgaria at the Levski Gymnastics Club between 2008 and 2012, and in the UK at the Elite Gymnastics Academy CIC between 2013 and 2020. In addition to coaching for the Elite Gymnastics Academy, he also worked as a gymnastics teacher, once a week, at St Edmund’s Primary School in London from January 2015 until July 2018. Moreover, Stefan volunteered as a Physical Education Assistant at this school for those 3.5 years, and some of the children participated in the control group for his PhD research. Stefan was featured twice in the school newsletter, and the Year 1 and Year 2 gymnastics school teams won 3rd places at the Borough Gymnastics Festival, which was their best finish to date!
Overall, Stefan coached hundreds of children, many of whom took part in gymnastics competitions. With passion for gymnastics and lots of hard work, many of his gymnasts won certificates and medals from club, regional and national gymnastics competitions in Bulgaria and the UK. During this time, Stefan was also building his personal gymnastics training business, STK SPORT, running his own coaching services for private clients and schools here in London. In June 2022, having had all of the experience outlined on this page, Stefan incorporated the Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy in London, England.
HIGHLIGHTS OF STEFAN’S COACHING CAREER IN BULGARIA
In the videos below you can watch some of Stefan’s best gymnasts, starting with David on Parallel bars at the 2012 Bulgarian Gymnastics Championships. David won the silver medal in this National competition, and became the Parallel Bars Vice-Champion of Bulgaria at the age of 7. This was a huge success as he competed with more than 100 other gymnasts from the best gymnastics clubs in Bulgaria at the age category between 7 and 10 years.
During his university education, Stefan spent 5 years working part-time as a gymnastics coach at the Levski Gymnastics Club between 2008 and 2012. Levski Gymnastics Club is one of the biggest clubs for the sport of gymnastics in Bulgaria. Levski GC is also a member and part of Levski Sports Club, which is the oldest sports organisation in the country. The club has had many great gymnasts, one of whom was the Olympic champion on Pommel horse in Seul 1988, Lyubomir Geraskov. The gallery below outlines some of the best moments in Stefan’s coaching career in Bulgaria.
Amongst the all lovely presents that Stefan has received by his gymnasts and their parents, the tea cup ‘I Love My Coach’ given by David Shaumian, age of 8, and parents (Dessy & Erik) has become the greatest one ever. At the age of 7, David won a silver medal from the 2012 Bulgarian Gymnastics Championships. He performed an astonishing routine on Parallel bars and became a Vice-Champion with score of 19.600, just 0.1 after the gold medallist. It is a remarkable success as the competition for his age group (Boys Under the age of 10) included around 100 of the best gymnasts from all over the country. We would like to say Thank you so much to Stefan’s best gymnast David and his lovely family for their dedication, care and love through all these years!
And here it is… Stefan’s last event at Levski GC, the club he grew up, and the club he coached for 5 years. This event was very special for Stefan and for many of the gymnasts and parents too (watch the video below). For a second year, Stefan organised the Gymnastics Show in which parents have the chance to see their children performing gymnastics for fun, without the stress from competitions, as well as a chance to learn about the findings of Stefan’s study (as part of his Master’s degree) on physical development and nutrition of young gymnasts. It was also the last sports event for Stefan before moving to the UK.
‘Dear parents, gymnasts and colleagues, as you may already know, I am moving to London, therefore I would like to say thank you so much for being not just clients, but friends, good friends and I feel many of you as a family. I know I will miss you very much, that’s why I have done my best to make you love this sport the way that I do. It has been all done for you, for your children, for us, to remember and be proud of what has been achieved.’
Yours in Sport , coach Stefan Kolimechkov
In December 2012, in Stefan’s last year at the Levski GC, Mr Prodanov (president of Levski GC & ex-president of the Bulgarian Gymnastics Federation) and Mrs Stanka Pavlova (honorary national coach & Sports Director of Levski GC) gave him a special award for outstanding contribution to the club and the local community. Stefan had a fantastic time in the club, coaching gymnastics while studying for his Bachelor’s and Masters degrees at the National Sports Academy in Bulgaria. During these 5 years (2008-2012) Stefan was mentored by university experts in gymnastics and sports science, as well as one of the best gymnastics coaches in the country, Mr Pandezov and Mrs Pavlova.
HIGHLIGHTS OF STEFAN’S COACHING CAREER IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Stefan moved to London in 2013 and started working for the Elite Gymnastics Academy based in North London. He coached boys and girls in pre-school, general, and artistic gymnastics at this club from 2013 to 2020, and he also competed and performed for the club at competitions and other sports events. Videos highlighting some of those events are presented below. From 2015 to 2018, Stefan was also working as a gymnastics coach at the local school, St Edmund’s Primary School. In addition, Stefan provided personal training in gymnastics and fitness for private clients in London, as well as gymnastics coaching services to some schools and clubs from 2013 to 2022 as part of his self-employed business called STK SPORT.
Overall, Stefan contributed to the development of children involved in pre-school, general, and women’s artistic gymnastics, and the gymnasts from his boy’s squads won multiple medals at club and regional artistic gymnastics competitions. Stefan also performed gymnastics together with his students from the Elite Gymnastics Academy on multiple occasions in competitions and other events in order to popularise the sport at schools and sports centres. The top achievements of Stefan’s coaching at the Elite Gymnastics Academy were made by his gymnasts: Blake (Vault Champion in London at the NDP Artistic Gymnastics Club Grades in 2014) and Fergus (Floor Champion in London at the NDP Artistic Gymnastics Club Grades in 2014, and Floor and Vault Champion in London at the 2017 London Artistic Gymnastics Championships). The highlight of Stefan’s coaching at St Edmund’s Primary School was the winning of the 3rd place at the Borough Gymnastics Festival. The gallery below features some of the best moments in this chapter of Stefan’s coaching.
At the end of 2020, Stefan took the decision to leave his part-time role at the Elite Gymnastics Academy in order to concentrate on his passions in life (involvement in scientific research in the UK, and building up his personal training consultancy business). Thank you to Olga Berzing, the manager of the Elite GA, for the opportunities she provided for Stefan at her club, to learn and grow as a gymnastics coach.
KENSINGTON & CHELSEA GYMNASTICS ACADEMY
In June 2022, having had all of the experience outlined above, Stefan incorporated the Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy in London, England. Visit our Gallery to see the best of Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics.
