Hristiyan Kasabov secured the silver medal in the 110m hurdles at the European Junior Championships for athletes under 20, held in Tampere, Finland. The 17-year-old Bulgarian achieved a remarkable time of 13.31 seconds in the final, setting a new national junior record despite facing a headwind of 0.6 meters per second.

His performance also stands as the fastest ever recorded by a Bulgarian at this distance. For comparison, the senior men’s national record is 13.33 seconds over the higher 106 cm hurdles, while the junior hurdles measure 99 cm.

Speaking after the race, Kasabov expressed satisfaction with his progress: “I am very happy with my performance here in Tampere. Compared to the last European Championships, I improved from bronze to silver. I am proud to have set two national records, first in the heats with 13.49 seconds, and then in the final with 13.31. I stayed focused during the race and didn’t let my rivals unsettle me. While most competitors take eight strides to the first hurdle, I take seven, which gives me confidence. The strong field motivated me, and we pushed each other to achieve these times.”

The gold medal went to Italy’s Matteo Togni, who set a new national record with 13.27 seconds. Czech athlete Matthias Zach, considered one of the top contenders, claimed bronze with 13.33 seconds. Great Britain’s Toby Wright finished fourth, setting a personal best of 13.35 seconds. Fifth place was shared after Norway’s Evan Pedersen equalled his country’s record of 13.42 seconds.