She won fourteen national titles (outdoor; as well as seven indoor) in Bulgaria, and is still the Bulgarian record holder in the 800 metres.

She edged out countrywoman Lilyana Tomova with 0.4 seconds, and Bulgaria almost managed a gold-silver-bronze constellation, but Ivanka Bonova lost the bronze medal to Gisela Klein.

Other than Shtereva, these medals were taken by Svetla Zlateva (1972), Stefka Yordanova (1973), Rositsa Pekhlivanova (1975), Lilyana Tomova (1976) and Totka Petrova (1977, 1978).

[1] In the final she won the silver medal behind Soviet Tatyana Kazankina (gold) but ahead of East German Elfi Zinn (bronze).

The previous world record was 1:56.0 minutes, achieved by Valentina Gerasimova in June the same year.

After Shtereva's last national championship victory in the 800 metres, the hegemony was taken over by Petya Strashilova who won every year but one (1996) between 1990 and 1998.