Balkan Cross Country Championships

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The Balkan Cross Country Championships has since 1958 been an annual regional international competition in cross country running amongst athletes from the Balkans. It forms part of the Balkan Games, the latter an event to encourage the relations amongst the participating nations surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and it traces its history back to 1940. There were no races in 2010). It is organised by the Association of the Balkan Athletics Federations

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The championships features two events: a ten-kilometre (6.2-mile) race for men and an eight-kilometre (5-mile) race for women. The distances of the races have varied over the lifetime of the event. Originally the men's race was a 10 km race, but this changed to a 12 km (7.5 miles) race during the period from 1977 to 2008. The women's race began with a 2 km distance, increasing to 4 km in 1977, then 6 km from 1998 to 2008. National team competitions are held within the individual races, with each nation's score being the total of the finishing positions of their best three athletes. [1]

The first edition in 1940 was a men's only competition; Josip Kotnik of Yugoslavia was the inaugural winner. A 15-year hiatus followed with the onset of World War II and the regional event was reborn in 1955. There was another hiatus to follow for two years but the 1958 edition, where Yugoslavia's Olympic medalist and International Cross Country champion Franjo Mihalić was victorious, marked the full establishment of the competition; the Balkan championship was contested annually thereafter. A women's race was held for the first time the following year and Akhad Dil Ciraj of Turkey became the first women's champion. [1]

It is one of three major Balkan regional athletic championships, alongside the two annual track and field events – the Balkan Games and the Balkan Indoor Athletics Championships. [2] [3]

Past winners

EditionYearMen's winnerTime (m:s)Women's winnerTime (m:s)
1st1940Flag of Yugoslavia (1918-1943).svg  Josip Kotnik  (Kingdom of Yugoslavia)24:40.4Not held
2nd1955Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Drago Štritof  (YUG)31:21.6Not held
3rd1958Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Franjo Mihalić  (YUG)31:33.8Not held
4th1959Flag of Greece.svg  Ioanis Glecos  (GRE)31:58.8Flag of Turkey.svg  Gül Çıray Akbaş  (TUR)7:04.6
5th1960Flag of Romania.svg  Constantin Grecescu  (ROM)31:11.0Flag of Turkey.svg  Gül Çıray Akbaş  (TUR)6:33
6th1961Flag of Romania.svg  Constantin Grecescu  (ROM)32:34.0Flag of Romania.svg  Florica Grecescu  (ROM)7:04.4
7th1962Flag of Romania.svg  Constantin Grecescu  (ROM)31:02.4Flag of Turkey.svg  Gül Çıray Akbaş  (TUR)6:31.8
8th1963Flag of Turkey.svg  Muharrem Dalkılıç  (TUR)29:54.4Flag of Romania.svg  Florica Grecescu  (ROM)5:19.6
9th1964Flag of Romania.svg  Andrei Barabaș  (ROM)30:25.8Flag of Romania.svg  Florica Grecescu  (ROM)6:40.8
10th1965Flag of Turkey.svg  Muharem Dalkilic  (TUR)30:37.6Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Kipra Danailova  (BUL)6:34.6
11th1966Flag of Romania.svg  Nicolae Mustata  (ROM)30:02Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Kipra Danailova  (BUL)6:19
12th1967Flag of Romania.svg  Zoltan Vamoș  (ROM)29:58.6Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Vera Nikolić  (YUG)6:23.8
13th1968Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Mikhail Zhelev  (BUL)28:52.6Flag of Romania.svg  Viorica Gabor  (ROM)7:28.2
14th1969Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Danijel Korica  (YUG)30:05.0Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Djurdjica Rajher  (YUG)6:21.8
15th1970Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Danijel Korica  (YUG)30:13.6Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Veselinka Milošević  (YUG)6:21.4
16th1971Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Danijel Korica  (YUG)29:51.0Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Veselinka Milosević  (YUG)6:10.2
17th1972Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Danijel Korica  (YUG)29:43.6Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Djurdjica Rajher  (YUG)6:15.2
18th1973Flag of Romania.svg  Nicolae Mustata  (ROM)28:37.8Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Totka Petrova  (BUL)6:11.2
19th1974Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Peter Svet  (YUG)31:55.4Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Totka Petrova  (BUL)6:35.2
20th1975Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Stevan Vulović  (YUG)31:12.6Flag of Romania.svg  Natalia Andrei  (ROM)6:12.2
21st1976Flag of Turkey.svg  Mehmet Yurdadön  (TUR)31:27.0Flag of Romania.svg  Natalia Marasescu-Betini  (ROM)6:38.1
22nd1977Flag of Romania.svg  Ilie Floroiu  (ROM)36:46.4Flag of Romania.svg  Natalia Marasescu-Betini  (ROM)13:10.0
23rd1978Flag of Turkey.svg  Mehmet Yurdadön  (TUR)35:03.8Flag of Romania.svg  Fița Lovin  (ROM)13:01.4
24th1979Flag of Romania.svg  Ilie Floroiu  (ROM)36:48.4Flag of Romania.svg  Maricica Puică  (ROM)13:31.2
25th1980Flag of Romania.svg  Ilie Floroiu  (ROM)37:35Flag of Romania.svg  Fița Lovin  (ROM)13:50
26th1981Flag of Greece.svg  Marios Kalanidis  (GRE)35:03.4Flag of Romania.svg  Maricica Puică  (ROM)12:37.7
27th1982Flag of Turkey.svg  Mehmet Yurdadön  (TUR)35:47.8Flag of Romania.svg  Maricica Puică  (ROM)12:59.8
28th1983Flag of Turkey.svg  Mehmet Yurdadön  (TUR)38:45.6Flag of Romania.svg  Fița Lovin  (ROM)14:36.2
29th1984Flag of Romania.svg  Gyorgy Marko  (ROM)37:09.4Flag of Romania.svg  Maricica Puică  (ROM)13:26.8
30th1985Flag of Romania.svg  Gyorgy Marko  (ROM)36:55.6Flag of Romania.svg  Mariana Chirila  (ROM)13:20.7
31st1986Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Evgeni Ignatov  (BUL)38:46.3Flag of Romania.svg  Elena Fidatov  (ROM)13:42.4
32nd1987Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Evgeni Ignatov  (BUL)35:42.6Flag of Romania.svg  Paula Ilie-Ivan  (ROM)12:21.0
33rd1988Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Mladen Kršek  (YUG)36:04.0Flag of Romania.svg  Violeta Beclea-Szekely  (ROM)12:55.2
34th1989Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Evgeni Ignatov  (BUL)36:33.3Flag of Romania.svg  Iulia Besliu-Ionescu  (ROM)13:23.6
35th1990Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Goran Raičević  (YUG)32:32.6Flag of Romania.svg  Elena Fidatov  (ROM)13:05
36th1991Flag of Turkey.svg  Haydar Dogan  (TUR)36:37.1Flag of Romania.svg  Lenuta Alungulesei  (ROM)12:21.4
37th1992Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Goran Raičević  (FR Yugoslavia)34:08.0Flag of Romania.svg  Daniela Bran  (ROM)12:37.7
38th1993Flag of Turkey.svg  Zeki Öztürk  (TUR)36:08.1Flag of Greece.svg  Irini Theodoridou  (GRE)13:01.4
39th1994Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Goran Raičević  (FR Yugoslavia)35:30.0Flag of Romania.svg  Luminita Gogârlea  (ROM)12:43.5
40th1995Flag of Romania.svg  Nicolae Negru  (ROM)36:09.2Flag of Romania.svg  Stela Olteanu  (ROM)13:11.0
41st1996Flag of Romania.svg  Nicolae Negru  (ROM)38:06Flag of Romania.svg  Nuța Olaru  (ROM)14:11.6
42nd1997Flag of Romania.svg  Nicolae Negru  (ROM)35:23.3Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Olivera Jevtić  (FR Yugoslavia)12:54.8
43rd1998Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Dragoslav Prpa  (FR Yugoslavia)36:03.7Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Olivera Jevtić  (FR Yugoslavia)19:18.8
44th1999Flag of Romania.svg  Nicolae Negru  (ROM)34:50Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Olivera Jevtić  (FR Yugoslavia)18:52
45th2000Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Dragoslav Prpa  (FR Yugoslavia)34:46Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Olivera Jevtić  (FR Yugoslavia)19:42
46th2001Flag of Greece.svg  Panagiotis Kharamis  (GRE)35:49.2Flag of Romania.svg  Maria Cristina Grosu-Mazilu  (ROM)19:03.7
47th2002Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Goran Stojilković  (FR Yugoslavia)34:20Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Olivera Jevtić  (FR Yugoslavia)19:51
48th2003Flag of Greece.svg  Labros Zaraggas  (GRE)37:33Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Sonja Stolić  (SCG)?
49th2004Flag of Serbia.svg  Mirko Petrović  (SRB)36:24Flag of Serbia.svg  Olivera Jevtić  (SRB)19:31
50th2005Flag of Turkey.svg  Abdülkadir Turk  (TUR)40:38Flag of Romania.svg  Cristina Casandra  (ROM)22:22
51st2006Flag of Turkey.svg Abdil Ceylan (TUR)38:51Flag of Romania.svg  Cristina Casandra  (ROM)21:11
52nd2007Flag of Romania.svg  Marius Ionescu  (ROM)37:27Flag of Serbia.svg  Sonja Stolić  (SRB)20:32
53rd2008Flag of Serbia.svg  Mirko Petrović  (SRB)36:15Flag of Serbia.svg  Sonja Stolić  (SRB)18:30
54th2009Flag of Turkey.svg  Fatih Bilgic  (TUR)31:37.7Flag of Greece.svg  Konstantina Kefala  (GRE)28:28.9
2010Not held
55th2011Flag of Serbia.svg  Mirko Petrović  (SRB)30:39Flag of Serbia.svg  Olivera Jevtić  (SRB)27:45
56th2012Flag of Turkey.svg  Bekir Karayel  (TUR)28:59Flag of Romania.svg  Ancuța Bobocel  (ROM)26:47
57th2013Flag of Romania.svg  Marius Ionescu  (ROM)31:09Flag of Serbia.svg  Sonja Stolić  (SRB)28:00
58th2014Flag of Turkey.svg  Vedat Günen  (TUR)28:23Flag of Turkey.svg  Özlem Kaya  (TUR)26:16
59th2015Flag of Turkey.svg  Hasan Pak  (TUR)31:17Flag of Romania.svg  Ancuța Bobocel  (ROM)27:42
60th2016Flag of Turkey.svg  Ramazan Özdemir  (TUR)30:11Flag of Romania.svg  Ancuța Bobocel  (ROM)27:05
61st2017Flag of Turkey.svg  Sedat Gönen  (TUR)33:41Flag of Romania.svg  Roxana Bârcă  (ROM)30:11
62nd2018Flag of Turkey.svg  Cihat Ulus  (TUR)29:25Flag of Romania.svg  Paula Todoran  (ROM)26:35
63rd2019Flag of Israel.svg  Yitayew ABUHAY  (ISR)30:25Flag of Ukraine.svg  Nataliya LEHONKOVA  (UKR)27:34

Participating countries

Present

  1. Flag of Albania.svg  Albania
  2. Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia
  3. Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina
  4. Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria
  5. Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
  6. Flag of Greece.svg  Greece
  7. Flag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia
  8. Flag of Moldova.svg  Moldova
  9. Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro
  10. Flag of Romania.svg  Romania
  11. Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia
  12. Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey

Other Member

  1. Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan
  2. Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia
  3. Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus
  4. Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
  5. Flag of Kosovo.svg  Kosovo
  6. Flag of San Marino.svg  San Marino
  7. Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia
  8. Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine

http://www.balkan-athletics.eu/members.php

Former

  1. Flag of Yugoslavia (1918-1943).svg  Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1940)
  2. Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia (1943–1992)
  3. Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  FR Yugoslavia (1992–2003)
  4. Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006)

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References

  1. 1 2 Karamata, Ozren & Gasparovic, Juraj (2013-05-06). Balkan Crosscountry Championships. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2013-09-22.
  2. Balkan Games/Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2013-09-22.
  3. Balkan Indoor Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2013-09-22.