European indoor long jump champion Bozhidar Saraboyukov showed his remarkable all-round talent by winning what is quite possibly an unprecedented treble this weekend at the Bulgarian Indoor Championships in Sofia.
Saraboyukov began his weekend by winning the triple jump title on Saturday (28) with an outright lifetime best of 16.61m to move into the top-10 on the 2026 European list.
But his most eye-catching performance came in the second of his three events on Sunday (1).
Saraboyukov soared over a lifetime best of 2.28m in the high jump on his second attempt, a feat which prompted Saraboyukov to uncork his trademark somersault celebration, before taking three attempts at a national indoor record of 2.32m in what was his first high jump competition in just over three years!
With his 2.28m clearance, Saraboyukov also surpassed the qualifying standard for the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham from 10-16 August.
Saraboyukov has proven pedigree in the high jump in the age-group ranks, clearing 2.20m and winning a silver medal in the discipline at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia before turning his focus to the long jump with the occasional foray into the triple jump.
And midway through the high jump, Saraboyukov took time out to win the long jump. He laid down a marker in the first round with 8.12m before retiring from the competition to turn his focus back to the high jump.
One year after winning the European indoor title, Saraboyukov will be looking to follow suit at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze from 20-22 March. The Bulgarian holds the world’s two longest jumps with 8.42m and 8.45m.
Another national record for Iliev in the 60m
In the men’s 60m, Hristo Iliev continued his breakthrough indoor season by further lowering his Bulgarian record.
The 21-year-old shaved another 0.02 from his national record, winning the title in 6.51 to match the European lead which is jointly held by Great Britain’s Romell Glave and Taymir Burnett from the Netherlands.
In the women’s 60m, 17-year-old Raya Dimitrova won the title in a Bulgarian indoor U20 record-equalling 7.30 ahead of reigning European U18 100m champion Radina Velichkova who set a lifetime best of 7.33.