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Yordanka Donkova

BULWomen

Birth dateSep 28, 1961

BirthplaceGorni Bogrov, Bulgaria

Height1.75 m

Weight67 kg

Yordanka Donkova, born on September 28, 1961, is a Bulgarian former hurdler who dominated the 100 metres hurdles during the 1980s. She is an Olympic gold medalist and one of the most decorated hurdlers in European championship history.

Donkova set five world records in the 100 metres hurdles, four of them in 1986 alone. Her final world record of 12.21 seconds, set in 1988, stood for nearly 28 years before Kendra Harrison broke it in 2016.

She won an Olympic gold medal and a bronze medal, along with nine medals at European Indoor and Outdoor Championships, bringing her total from major tournaments to 16 medals. She was named Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year and BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year, both in 1986.

Key facts

100 m hurdles

12.21

#5 all-time

60 m hurdles

7.74

1995 season best

13.26

Jun 1, 1995 · Paris-St-Denis (FRA)

1995 season best

Medals

Olympic Games: 1 gold, 1 silver

Record

Area record · 100 m hurdles 12.21

Area record

Age

64 years old

As of Sep 19, 2026: 100 m hurdles 12.21 (#5 all-time), 60 m hurdles 7.74, 1995 season best 13.26 (Jun 1, 1995, Paris-St-Denis (FRA)) · Olympic Games: 1 gold, 1 silver · Area record (100 m hurdles) · 64 years old

Personal bests

11.27

22.95

2:17.51

12.21

42.29

1.78

6.37

12.80

29.40

6240

7.74

7.53

6.77

7.44

29.40

🏅

Medals

	🥇	🥈	🥉	Total
Olympic Games	1	1	-	2

Performance Charts

Season bests

Season	Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Trend	Competitions
1995	100mH	13.26	+0.9	Jun 1, 1995	↑	Paris-St-Denis (FRA)
1994	60mH	7.83	-	Feb 13, 1994	↑	Liévin (FRA) (i)
1994	100mH	12.49	+5.0	Jun 12, 1994	↑	Sofia (BUL)
1993	50MetresHu	6.77	-	Feb 7, 1993	-	Grenoble (FRA) (i)
1993	60mH	7.89	-	Feb 13, 1993	↑	Liévin (FRA) (i)
1993	100mH	12.98	-	Aug 1, 1993	↑	Köln (GER)
1992	60mH	8.03	-	Mar 1, 1992	↑	European Indoor Championships, Palazzo dello Sport, Genova (i)
1992	100mH	12.67	+0.2	Jul 18, 1992	↑	Plovdiv (BUL)
1989	60mH	7.78	-	Feb 26, 1989	↑	Sindelfingen (GER) (i)
1988	100mH	12.21	+0.7	Aug 20, 1988	↑	Stara Zagora (BUL)
1988	4x100m	42.29	-	Jun 26, 1988	↑	Sofia (BUL)
1987	55mH	7.44	-	Feb 27, 1987	-	New York, NY (USA) (i)
1987	60mH	7.74	-	Feb 14, 1987	↑	Sofia (BUL) (i)
1987	100mH	12.33	+1.4	Jun 14, 1987	↑	Fürth (GER)
1987	4x100m	42.31	-	Jun 27, 1987	↑	Praha (TCH)
1986	60mH	7.92	-	Feb 2, 1986	↑	Sofia (BUL) (i)
1986	100mH	12.0h	+2.1	Aug 3, 1986	↑	Ljubljana (SLO)
1986	4x100m	42.68	-	Aug 31, 1986	↑	Stuttgart European Championships
1984	60mH	7.99	-	Feb 19, 1984	↑	Sofia (BUL) (i)
1984	100mH	12.50	+0.7	Aug 8, 1984	↑	Sofia (BUL)
1983	HJ	1.78	-	Sep 10, 1983	↓	Sofia (BUL)
1983	LJ	6.37	+1.6	Sep 11, 1983	↓	Sofia (BUL)
1983	60mH	8.27	-	Jan 29, 1983	↑	Wien (AUT) (i)
1983	100mH	12.65	+0.5	Sep 10, 1983	↑	Sofia (BUL)
1983	SP	12.80	-	Sep 10, 1983	↓	Sofia (BUL)
1983	200m	23.09	-	Jun 5, 1983	↑	Sofia (BUL)
1983	JavelinThr	29.40	-	Sep 11, 1983	↓	Sofia (BUL)
1983	JT	29.40	-	Sep 11, 1983	↓	Sofia (BUL)
1983	800m	2:17.51	-	Sep 11, 1983	↑	Sofia (BUL)
1983	Hep	6240	-	Sep 11, 1983	↓	Sofia (BUL)
1982	60m	7.53	-	Mar 7, 1982	-	European Indoor Championships, Palazzo dello Sport, Milano (i)
1982	60mH	8.02	-	Feb 20, 1982	↑	Sofia (BUL) (i)
1982	100m	11.27	+0.5	Aug 14, 1982	-	Sofia (BUL)
1982	100mH	12.44	+1.0	Aug 7, 1982	↑	Sofia (BUL)
1982	200m	22.95	+1.1	Sep 16, 1982	↑	Berlin (GER)
1982	4x100m	43.10	-	Sep 11, 1982	↑	Athina European Championships
1982	Hep	6139	-	Jul 4, 1982	↓	-
1981	HJ	1.60	-	May 23, 1981	↓	Götzis (AUT)
1981	LJ	5.66	-0.3	May 24, 1981	↓	Götzis (AUT)
1981	SP	11.13	-	May 23, 1981	↓	Götzis (AUT)
1981	100mH	13.69	-2.4	Aug 15, 1981	↑	Zagreb (CRO)
1981	JT	23.32	-	May 24, 1981	↓	Götzis (AUT)
1981	JavelinThr	23.32	-	May 24, 1981	↓	Götzis (AUT)
1981	200m	25.10	+0.7	May 23, 1981	↑	Götzis (AUT)
1981	800m	2:33.91	-	May 24, 1981	↑	Götzis (AUT)
1981	Hep	5141	-	May 24, 1981	↓	Götzis (AUT)
1980	100mH	13.24	+1.3	Jul 27, 1980	↑	Lenin Stadium, Moskva (URS)
1979	100mH	13.57	-	Aug 4, 1979	↑	Sofia (BUL)

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
100mH	13.45	-	Jun 10	European Cup 1st League Group 2, Turku
100mH	13.39	+2.0	Jun 5	Moskva Znamenskiy Memorial, Moskva
100mH	13.26	+0.9	Jun 1	Paris-St-Denis L'Humanité, Paris-St-Denis

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
100mH	12.88	-	Sep 3	Paris IAAF Grand Prix Final
100mH	12.68	+1.1	Aug 30	Berlin ISTAF, Olympiastadion, Berlin
100mH	12.84	+0.9	Aug 21	Köln ASV Sportfest der Weltklasse, Köln
100mH	12.79	+0.0	Aug 19	Bruxelles Memorial Van Damme, Bruxelles
100mH	12.89	-1.5	Aug 17	Weltklasse Zürich, Zürich
100mH	13.08	-1.9	Aug 9	Helsinki European Championships, Olympiastadion, Helsinki
100mH	12.93	-1.7	Aug 9	Helsinki European Championships, Olympiastadion, Helsinki
100mH	13.06	+0.2	Aug 8	Helsinki European Championships, Olympiastadion, Helsinki
100mH	12.93	-1.7	Aug 7	Helsinki European Championships, Olympiastadion, Helsinki
100mH	13.08	-1.9	Aug 7	Helsinki European Championships, Olympiastadion, Helsinki
100mH	13.06	+0.2	Aug 7	Helsinki European Championships, Olympiastadion, Helsinki
100mH	12.76	-	Jul 22	Oslo Bislett Games, Bislett Stadion, Oslo
100mH	12.70	-	Jul 18	Nice Nikaïa, Nice
100mH	12.77	+0.0	Jul 8	Villeneuve d'Ascq Meeting BNP, Villeneuve d'Ascq
100mH	12.64	+1.3	Jul 6	Athletissima Lausanne, Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne
100mH	12.56	+1.0	Jul 3	Sofia
100mH	12.49	+5.0	Jun 12	Dijon
100mH	12.69	+2.7	Jun 10	Paris-St-Denis L'Humanité, Paris-St-Denis
100mH	12.72	+0.3	Jun 8	Roma Golden Gala, Stadio Olimpico, Roma
100mH	12.69	-0.7	Jun 5	Gran Premio Diputación Provincial de Sevilla, Sevilla
60mH	7.97	-	Mar 13	European Indoor Championships, Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris (i)
60mH	7.85	-	Mar 13	European Indoor Championships, Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris (i)
60mH	7.95	-	Mar 13	European Indoor Championships, Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris (i)
60mH	7.85	-	Mar 11	European Indoor Championships, Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris (i)
60mH	7.95	-	Mar 11	European Indoor Championships, Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris (i)
60mH	7.97	-	Mar 11	European Indoor Championships, Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris (i)
60mH	7.83	-	Feb 13	Meeting Vittel du Pas de Calais, Liévin (i)
60mH	7.86	-	Feb 11	Madrid (i)
60mH	7.90	-	Feb 9	Gent (i)
60mH	7.85	-	Feb 5	Sofia (i)
60mH	7.88	-	Feb 5	Sofia (i)
60mH	7.88	-	Jan 29	Sofia (i)

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
100mH	13.02	-	Aug 7	Monaco Herculis, Stade Louis II, Monaco
100mH	13.00	-0.7	Aug 4	Weltklasse Zürich, Zürich
100mH	12.98	-	Aug 1	Köln ASV Sportfest der Weltklasse, Köln
100mH	13.22	-	Jun 5	Gran Premio Diputacion Provincial Sevilla, Sevilla
60mH	7.89	-	Feb 13	St Yorre du Pas-de-Calais, Liévin (i)
60mH	7.94	-	Feb 11	Madrid (i)
50MetresHu	6.77	-	Feb 7	Grenoble (i)
60mH	7.99	-	Feb 5	Budapest (i)

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
100mH	12.70	+0.4	Aug 6	The XXV Olympic Games, Estadio Olímpico, Barcelona
100mH	12.87	-	Aug 6	The XXV Olympic Games, Estadio Olímpico, Barcelona
100mH	12.84	-	Aug 5	The XXV Olympic Games, Estadio Olímpico, Barcelona
100mH	12.96	-	Aug 5	The XXV Olympic Games, Estadio Olímpico, Barcelona
100mH	12.67	+0.2	Jul 18	Plovdiv
60mH	8.10	-	Mar 1	European Indoor Championships, Palazzo dello Sport, Genova (i)
60mH	8.03	-	Mar 1	European Indoor Championships, Palazzo dello Sport, Genova (i)

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is Yordanka Donkova's 100 m hurdles personal best?

Yordanka Donkova's 100 m hurdles personal best is 12.21, set on Aug 20, 1988 in Stara Zagora (BUL), #5 on the all-time list.

Which events does Yordanka Donkova compete in?

Yordanka Donkova competes in the 100 m hurdles and 60 m hurdles.

How did Yordanka Donkova perform in 1995?

1995 season best: 13.26, set on Jun 1, 1995 in Paris-St-Denis (FRA).

How many medals has Yordanka Donkova won?

Yordanka Donkova has won 2 Olympic Games medals.

Yordanka Donkova

Personal bests

Medals

Performance Charts

Season bests

1995

1994

1993

1992

Honours

Frequently asked questions