High Altitude, Higher Stakes

The mountains are calling, and Bulgaria is answering with a roar. Seventeen elite athletes have been selected to represent the nation at the 2026 European Mountain Running Championships, set to take place in the rugged terrain of Ljubljana and Kamnik, Slovenia, from June 5 to 7, 2026. This isn’t just a participation exercise; it is a full-scale assault on the podium by Bulgaria’s finest endurance specialists.

The selection committee has spared no one, picking the current top performers to battle the continent’s best. The roster is a diverse mix of raw youthful talent and seasoned veterans, each ready to conquer steep ascents and punishing descents. The competition is fierce, the distances are grueling, and the stakes have never been higher for Bulgarian trail running.

Junior Fire and Senior Power

The under-20 category brings fresh energy to the slopes. Men’s contenders include Aleksandar Pedev, Viktor Petkov, Stilian Alexandrov, and Attila Rasim, all tackling the 5.7 km up-and-down race on June 7 and the 3.8 km uphill sprint on June 5. On the women’s side, Simona Gotcheva and Yoana Yordanova are poised to make their mark in the same demanding junior disciplines.

The senior women’s division features heavy hitters Anika Atanasova, Silvia Georgieva, Bilserein Suleyman, and Marinela Nineva. They will face the brutal 13.1 km combined course on June 7 and the 8.9 km uphill race on June 5. These athletes are not just running; they are surviving, pushing their limits against Europe’s toughest mountain runners.

The Trail Titans

But the true test of endurance comes on June 6 with the 52 km trail races. The men’s team, led by Miroslav Spasov, Yordan Todorov, Georgi Zhekov, and Tencho Zhekov, will face an epic distance that separates the good from the great. The women’s trail squad, comprising Nadezhda Angelova, Militsa Mircheva, and Maria Nikolova, will tackle the same monumental challenge.

Guiding this army of endurance athletes is head coach Kostadin Kisiov, alongside coaches Nedelko Borukov, Ivan Mihaylov, Yolo Nikolov, and Atanas Dimitrov. With strategic brilliance and unwavering support, this team is ready to claim its place in European history. The mountains await. Bulgaria is ready.