By Sevket Furkan ERBAY
Just before the final preparation week of the upcoming European Championships, Balkan athletics hopefuls have assembled in Izmir, the third-most populous Turkish city on the Aegean coastline. During the two-day competition, some will try to sharpen their shape, while others will pursue an Olympic ticket or a Balkan medal according to their respective levels.
Surely, the biggest name of the championships will be Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou, who is back in Izmir after his short pre-season camp there. Tentoglou is one of four athletes in history who previously had a quadruple crown, winning a Balkan title alongside three majors: the Olympics, the World, and the Europeans. Returning to Balkan Champs in five years, the Greek superstar will try to break the long-standing championship record of legendary Nenad Stekic from former Yugoslavia in 1979. The 26-year-old Tentoglou will be challenged by former Balkan champions Lazar Anic, Gabriel Bitan and Marko Ceko, as well as Bulgarian young gun Bozhidar Saraboyukov and Albania's Izmir Smajlaj.
GULIYEV ON THE BLOCK
On the second day of the event, all eyes will be on home hero Ramil Guliyev as he takes to the newly furbished track of the Ataturk Olympic Stadium for the 200-meter title. Guliyev, who is seeking his fourth Olympic ticket at the event, has not yet produced a standout time, coming to Izmir with a 20.77 season opener in the Dubai meet. However, if he secures a win in the Balkans, he will become the second sprinter in history to claim five 200-meter titles, following in the footsteps of ancient Greek athlete Renos Frangoudis who achieved this feat in the 30s. Notably, Guliyev has never failed to win a gold medal in the previous editions, securing eight out of eight titles at the Balkan Championships.
GEGA'S SUPREMACY TEST
Luiza Gega, arguably one of the greatest Balkan athletics icons in recent years, has registered for three events at the weekend. If she can repeat last year's fantastic treble in the 3000, 5000, and steeplechase, she will join the eight-member elite female group with ten titles. The Albanian is clear favorite for her main event steeplechase but can be denied in the 5000 metres by Turkey's returning star Yasemin Can, five-time European champion, who was absent more than a year.
HIGH-FIVE EVENT
Women's high jump contest will be an interesting one with the presence of in-form Angelina Topic who compete against former champions Mirela Demireva, Mariya Vukovic, Daniela Stanciu. Topic recently achieved 1.98 metres to break Serbian record once more and stepped out for the win. She also entered the long jump competition as one of the five athletes who passed the 6.50 mark in the current season. Bulgarian Milena Mitkova will mark her thirteenth appearance at the event as her talented compatriot Plamena Mitkova - recorded 6.70 PB this year - is considered among the main contenders.
THE TURKISH TRIPLERS
The home crowd are probably interested more in triple jump events. Tuğba Danışmaz, Turkey's only field event European titlist in history, and Necati Er, Olympic sixth placer in Tokyo, will try for another double in the triple jump. The duo were training partners last year but parted ways at the end of the summer as Necati joined Tentoglou's training group in Greece. The current national record holders Danışmaz and Er combined to TJ glories for Turkey first-time ever in Kraljevo 2023.
Long time rivals Dimitriana Bezede (formerly Surdu) and Emel Dereli will renew their challenge in Izmir. The Moldovan record holder already has a berth for Paris 2024, as Dereli didn't have one yet, which is her primary target in the remaining fixture before the Games. Defending champion Bezede will try to secure her fourth Balkan outdoor title as Dereli is looking her third. In the meantime, another Moldovan, Zalina Marghieva, is on the verge of putting a winning record in the annals. The 36-year-old hammer thrower is seeking her sixth Balkan title and became only female athlete to have it by surpassing 5-time winner Mihaela Melinte of Romania. Margieva just recorded 75.95m national record on May 11 in Bulgaria.
POHORILKO'S HOT FORM
Ukrainian Oleksandr Pohorilko is also returning to Balkan track for title defence. He broke 45-year-old championship record with 45.36 in Kraljevo last summer and went under 45 seconds last month to guarantee his Paris flight. He is in top shape and can produce yet another championship record in a possible battle with Rok Ferlan, Luka Janezic and Franko Burraj.
The Aegean coastal Izmir, known as one of the country's athletics hubs, will host the event for the third time after 1972 and 1983. The championships will also see the first 4x400 metres mixed medallist in Atatürk Olympic Stadium, which attached the main programme for the first time here.
The 77th edition of the Balkan Seniors Championships will be attended by 430 athletes from 21 ABAF member countries with only the absence of Israel, the country hugely criticized globally for their brutal war in Gaza.
The event will be live streamed from Balkan Athletics and host federation TAF (taf.org.tr) channels.
