Yordanka Donkova facts for kids
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women's Athletics | ||
Representing  Bulgaria |
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| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1988 Seoul | 100 m hurdles |
| Bronze | 1992 Barcelona | 100 m hurdles |
| World Indoor Championships | ||
| Silver | 1987 Indianapolis | 60 m hurdles |
Yordanka Lyubchova Donkova (Bulgarian: Йорданка Любчова Донкова; born September 28, 1961) is a famous former athlete from Bulgaria. She was an amazing hurdler, which means she was very good at running and jumping over barriers. Yordanka is best known for winning a gold medal at the Olympic Games and many other medals at European championships. She even set five world records in the 100-meter hurdles race! Her fastest record, 12.21 seconds, was held for nearly 28 years until 2016, showing just how incredible her speed was. In total, Yordanka won 16 medals from big athletics competitions. She was also named the best sportsperson in Bulgaria and the best Balkan athlete in 1986.
Contents
About Yordanka Donkova
Early Life and Family
Yordanka had a difficult accident when she was a child. This accident caused her to lose two fingers on her right hand. Despite this, she became a world-class athlete.
Yordanka has three children. In 1991, she had a son named Zhivko Atanasov, who grew up to become a professional football player. Later, in 1996, she welcomed twin girls, Daniela and Desislava.
After the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Yordanka was asked if she wanted to compete for the United States. However, she chose to continue representing her home country, Bulgaria.
Amazing Achievements in Athletics
Yordanka Donkova was a five-time Bulgarian National Champion in the 100-meter hurdles. She won these titles in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, and 1994. She won many medals throughout her career.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Bulgaria |
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| 1982 | European Indoor Championships | Milan, Italy | 3rd | 60 m hurdles | 8.03 |
| 1982 | European Championships | Athens, Greece | 2nd | 100m hurdles | 12.54 |
| 4th | 4 × 100 m relay | 43.10 | |||
| 1984 | European Indoor Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 3rd | 60 m hurdles | 8.09 |
| 1986 | European Championships | Stuttgart, West Germany | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.38 CR |
| 2nd | 4 × 100 m | 42.68 | |||
| 1987 | European Indoor Championships | Lievin, France | 1st | 60 m hurdles | 7.79 |
| World Indoor Championships | Indianapolis, U.S. | 2nd | 60 m hurdles | 7.85 | |
| World Championships | Rome, Italy | 4th | 100 m hurdles | 12.49 | |
| 1988 | Olympic Games | Seoul, South Korea | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.38 |
| 5th | 4 × 100 m | 43.02 | |||
| 1989 | European Indoor Championships | The Hague, Netherlands | 1st | 60 m hurdles | 7.87 |
| 1992 | European Indoor Championships | Genoa, Italy | 3rd | 60 m hurdles | 8.03 |
| Olympic Games | Barcelona, Spain | 3rd | 100 m hurdles | 12.70 | |
| 1994 | European Indoor Championships | Paris, France | 1st | 60 m hurdles | 7.85 |
| European Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 3rd | 100 m hurdles | 12.93 | |
CR = Championship Record
World Records Set by Yordanka
Yordanka Donkova was so fast that she set five world records in the 100-meter hurdles race! A world record means she ran faster than anyone else in the world at that time.
- 12.36 seconds - Set on August 13, 1986. She equaled the record set by another athlete, Grażyna Rabsztyn.
- 12.35 seconds - Set on August 17, 1986. She broke her own record just a few days later!
- 12.29 seconds - Set on August 17, 1986. On the same day, she broke her record again!
- 12.26 seconds - Set on September 7, 1986. She kept getting faster!
- 12.21 seconds - Set on August 20, 1988. This was her fastest time and a world record that stood for almost 28 years! It was finally broken on July 22, 2016, by Kendra Harrison.
See also
In Spanish: Yordanka Donkova para niños
