Nikola Dinev was a super-heavyweight wrestler who competed in freestyle at the 1976 Montréal Olympics, although he usually wrestled Greco-Roman. He was twice a World Champion in Greco-Roman, at the 1977 and 1982 Worlds. Dinev also won two silver medals at the World Championships in Greco-Roman, in 1978 and 1983. At the European Championships, Dinev won five gold medals, all in Greco-Roman – in 1977, 1980, 1982-83, and 1986, adding a silver medal in 1975. For his wrestling accomplishments Dinev was given the Nikola Petrov Golden Belt in 1977 and was named that year as an honorary citizen of Stara Zagora.