On May 9, Ruse hosted one of the strongest youth track and field events on the Balkans – the International "Mladost" Tournament. Despite heavy rain and challenging weather conditions, 357 athletes from 47 clubs and six countries – Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Serbia, Ukraine, and Moldova – took to the city's stadium and turned the competition into a true celebration of young athletics.

The event was organized for the thirteenth time by the Ruse "Danube" Light Athletics Club with the support of the Ruse Municipality and the Bulgarian Federation of Athletics. The tournament once again solidified its reputation as a prestigious stage for the discovery of young talent, with 13 qualifying marks for the European Youth Championships set within a single day. The championships will take place from June 16-19 in Rieti, Italy.

One of the strongest moments in the program was the impressive performance of Maria Ilieva from SK "Ivaylo 93" – Veliko Tarnovo, who set a new national record in javelin throw with a result of 54.09 meters. The achievement was met with thunderous applause from the audience and participants.

The Turkish team, which demonstrated excellent preparation and high athletic class, secured the most distinctions in the competition. The host club, Ruse "Danube" Light Athletics Club, also made a worthy appearance, with its athletes winning four medals:

  • Yova Petrova – silver medal in high jump with a result of 3.20 meters;
  • Boyan Zahariev – bronze medal in high jump with a result of 4.00 meters;
  • Filip Ayzner – bronze medal in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:17.68;
  • Mihayela Mihaylova – bronze medal in javelin throw with a result of 46.51 meters and a qualifying mark for the European Championships.

The organizers honored the top six athletes in the tournament with monetary awards for their high achievements. Among the most impressive individual performances were those of Emre Çivilik (Turkey), who won the 110 meters hurdles for boys with a time of 13.41 seconds, and Ayşe Aydın (Turkey), who triumphed in the 100 meters hurdles for girls with a result of 13.90 seconds.

The faces of the tournament – record holders of Bulgaria Anelia Nunева and Evgeni Ignatov – awarded the champions in individual disciplines. Deputy Mayor of Ruse Borislav Rachev officially opened the International "Mladost" Tournament, welcoming the participants and guests of the event. In his speech, he highlighted the importance of sports for the development of young people and congratulated the organizers on establishing Ruse as a host of one of the most prestigious youth track and field competitions in the region. "The tournament once again proves that Ruse is among the leading centers for young athletics – a place where future European champions are built," Rachev noted.

The event was also attended by Iliyan Pishkov, the general secretary of the Bulgarian Federation of Athletics.

The organizers expressed their gratitude to all partners and sponsors who contributed to the successful conduct of the event – Ruse Municipality, BFA, "Dunarit" AD, ViK – Ruse, "AS STROY" AD, medical facilities "Medica," pharmacies "Astra," mineral water "Bachkovo," "Kaolin" AD, volunteers from the Community Youth House, and the professional referee team.