As we have already mentioned, Bulgaria’s veteran gymnast Yordan Yovchev was the national team’s torch bearer at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. At the age of 39, he is the first male gymnast ever to compete in six Games, starting in Barcelona in 1992.

He is now the president of the Bulgarian gymnastics federation, but on Saturday in London’s North Greenwich Arena (this is the Olympian name for the O2) he performed a fantastic run on the rings in front of an amazed crowd, and made it into the final with the eighth best score of 15.308, grabbing the last qualifying spot. With a partially torn bicep and an injured wrist, seeing his name as a finalist has even surprised himself.

In less than a week’s time, Bulgaria’s national hero will compete in the still rings final, for one last time in the Olympics, in an attempt to take home his fifth Olympic medal.