Basketball
Team competitions are where the Party was looking for results. As opposed to the Winter Olympics, plenty of events here gave ground to Bulgarian athletes to demonstrate collective spirit. And that was something that mouthpieces would love. Most editors were clueless as to how to spin the feats of skiers and lugers into a tale of the power of collectives. With teams, it was much, much easier. Especially with this vintage of teams - some skilled while some others - less so, but talented nonetheless.
A favourite of the Sports Department was the basketball team. The Department's head, Ognyan Marinov, was a prominent basketball player in the pre-Revolutionary days. After the Revolution, he loathed the ban on sports that lasted for three years. But eventually he figured out that the "Year Zero" policy may not be such a bad thing. The sports generation before those events was all but worthless - lacking motivation, completely unskilled and frequently adding more shame to the name of their nation than pride. Ognyan understood that re-introducing sports back into the national routine was a golden opportunity to see his ambitious plans for Bulgarian basketball finally get closer to reality.
The team itself was not as experienced as the indoor volleyball team, which was a frequent European and World champion, nor the women's handball team, which proved remarkably aggressive and psychologically resilient. The boys from the basketball team were young, relatively inexperienced, but displayed great creativity in difficult situations. They were capable of carrying out a David vs Goliath feat and had demonstrated that capability on more than one occasion. Although far less capable, the women's basketball team was also eager to prove its worth.
Indoor Volleyball & Handball
The men's volleyball team - what a symbol of the nation. Long neglected across the world, but still popular in Europe, it was the one sport which Bulgarians of all backgrounds practiced with great pleasure and volunteered to represent their country in. It was the first "point of contact" between Bulgar Rouge and the rest of the world after Year Zero finally reached its objectives. This year the volleyball team was at its peak - concentrated, motivated, well-trained, relax and without injuries. The proper course of physical preparation developed by the medical branch of the NPLA Military Academy was giving excellent results.
The same was valid for the women's handball team. Handpicked among the best female runners across the country, this team was known for its passion, cunning attack and very fluid centre. Its defence was a known weakness, as they preferred to jump right into the offence and use every possible opportunity to attack. This was a mentality typical for ex-NPLA sportspeople, and to this end it served good. The women's handball team also held symbolic value for women across Bulgar Rouge, who would be passionately observing the games as part of their Women's Workers' Union sessions on culture and self-development.
On the other hand, the women's volleyball team was never surrounded by high hopes, neither was the men's handball team. They were sent mostly as counterexamples to their successful counterparts of the opposite gender, in a sort of a propaganda battle where the subtle message was to look at the weak ones and not become like them.
Other sports
Waters were calm and reflected the clear blue skies. The sense of summer heat was engulfing the air. Out of nowhere, the crystal mirror of the water was broken by a boat. The Bulgarian female rowing teams were training for their events. Upon passing the final line and looking up at the result, they team leader of the coxed eight broke a big smile on her face.
Meanwhile at the Olympic village, the shooters - men and women - were relaxing after several days of intensive training. Most of them were accomplished ex-NPLA sharpshooters and troops, and unlike most other shooters at the Olympics, this had long been a part of their job. The psychological component was significantly reduced and to many of them anxiety was not a factor at all. It was all up to concentration, and this time all of them were clearing their minds using meditation or NPLA-developed psychological techniques to achieve a perfect clarity of mind.
