Speed Kings and Queens of Sofia

The track at National Academy of Sports erupted as the National Championships returned to the Bulgarian athletics calendar. In a display of raw speed, Nikola Karamanov of Radio 999 and Simona Stoyanova of Lokomotiv-Sofia seized the U23 100m titles, proving that the future of Bulgarian sprinting is in excellent hands. The atmosphere was electric, the stakes high, and the results decisive.

A Sprint Decided by Thousandths

Karamanov didn't just win; he dominated, crossing the line in a blistering 10.45 seconds with a tailwind of +0.7 m/s. But the real drama unfolded behind him. The battle for silver was a nail-biter, decided by mere thousandths of a second. Last year's junior Balkan champion Georgi Petkov (KLASA) edged out Atanas Stoyanov (CSKA-Sofia) by just 8 thousandths. Petkov clocked 10.65 (.642), while Stoyanov finished in 10.65 (650). A split-second margin, but in sprinting, that’s an eternity.

On the women’s side, Simona Stoyanova powered through the 100m in 12.24 seconds (0.0 m/s wind), a clear victory. Magdalena Stoyanova (Dunav-Ruse) took silver with a personal best of 12.69 seconds, while Silvia Ivanova (Athletic-Sofia) rounded out the podium with 13.20 seconds.

400m Records Shattered

The excitement didn't stop at the sprint. In the men’s U23 400m, Dimitar Pandeliev (Super Sport-Varna) smashed his personal record to claim gold in 48.04 seconds. Plamen Ivanov (SKLA Ekspres) followed with his own best of 49.05 seconds for silver, while Momchil Poptolev (Universal) took bronze in 49.64 seconds.

Among the women, Rosina Nikolova (Dunav-Ruse) stormed to victory in the 400m, setting a new personal record of 55.34 seconds. Veronik Zhekov (Super Sport-Varna) also improved her best, securing silver in 57.34 seconds, and Yoana Volyova (Ludogorets-Razgrad) completed the podium with a time of 59.52 seconds. A championship night defined by personal bests and fierce competition.