18th June 2012 11:42
Slovenia's 2001 European Athletics U23 Championships high jump winner Rozle Prezelj is in the best form of his life at the age of 32, more than a decade after he won in Amsterdam, and improved his national record to 2.32m on home soil in Maribor on Sunday.
Prezelj, who also made the final of the 2008 Olympic Games, cleared that height at his first attempt and then tried 2.35m, coming close with his first attempt.
His previous national record was 2.31m indoors in 2008 and his previous outdoor best of 2.30m came in 2006.
Prezelj has competed at the last three European Athletics Championships but never progressed beyond the qualifying rounds and so will be hoping that his current form leads to a change in fortunes in Helsinki.
The only Slovenian man to medal at the European Athletics Championships has been the sprinter Matic Osovinkar, who won the 100m bronze medal in 2006.
The 2012 European Athletics Championships will be held in Helsinki, Finland, from 27 June – 1 July.