The Hard Road to Glory | Yoana Ilieva | TEDxIlinden
Fencing champion Yoana Ilieva delivers an empowering talk on “The Courage to Think Differently” at TEDxIlinden on September 29, 2025. Yoana shares how focus, resilience, and bold thinking have shaped her path in sports and beyond, inspiring us to embrace challenges with confidence. Yoana Ilieva is one of Bulgaria’s leading figures in women’s fencing and a sabre specialist. She made history by winning a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships in Milan — Bulgaria’s first world medal since 1987 and the very first in women’s sabre. A two-time European champion (U20 and U23) and World Cup winner in Plovdiv, Yoana finished the season ranked No. 2 in the world. With her talent, determination, and inspiring spirit, she stands among the brightest stars of modern fencing. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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