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Athletics Podium
Balkan XC
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Balkan XC

first edition, Istanbul
1940
editions held
67
medal nations
17
latest · Koynare, Pleven
2026

History

Balkan Cross Country (XC) Championships is one of the oldest continuous athletics competitions on dirt. Started in Heybeliada - a small island near Anatolian side of Istanbul - back in 1940, but immediately ceased by World War II. Its second edition held in 1955 in Skopje. From 1959, women's race added the programme, shortly after that juniors also added to the schedule. Balkan XC championships interuptedly organised between 1959 and 2010. The competition cancelled in 2010 for disfunction of ABAF but re-started in one year in Serbian town Kragujevac.

(Photo on top: 1978 Balkan XC, Istanbul (Istinye distinct) - Neriman Tekil archive.)

COURSE CHANGES

Senior Men: 7,5km (1940, 1955), 10km (1958-76), 12km (1977-2008), 10km (from 2009)

Senior Women: 2km (1959-76), 4km (1977-97), 6km (1998-08), 8km (from 2009)

U23 Men: 6km (1969-76), 8km (from 1977)

U23 Women: 3km (1991-95), 4km (2001-08), 6km (from 2009)

U20 Men: 4km (1963-76), 6km (since 1977)

U20 Women: 1km (1964-76), 2km (1977-96), 3km (1997, 2001-08), 4km (1998-00, from 2009)

WIN STREAKS BY A COUNTRY IN EVERY EVENT 

(Consecutive gold medals)

Seniors Men: 5 - Turkey (2014-18)

Seniors Women: 18 - Romania (1975-92)

U23 Men: 4 - Romania (2003-06) & Turkey (2007-11)

U23 Women: 5 - Romania (2006-11)

Juniors (U20) Men: 6 - Turkey (2012-17)

Juniors (U20) Women: 10 - Romania (1972-81)

Seniors Men's Team: 9 - Turkey (2009-18)

Seniors Women's Team: 16 - Romania (1977-92)

U23 Men's Team: 10 - Turkey (2007-17)

U23 Women's Team: 6 - Romania (1994-04)

U20 Men's Team: 7 - Turkey (2011-2017)

U20 Women's Team: 21 - Romania (1972-92)

BIGGEST GAP ON FINISH (1-2 margin)

Seniors Men: 51 seconds (2012, Karayel-Tekgöz)

Seniors Women: 61 seconds (2005, Casandra-Protopappa)

U23 Men: 58 seconds (2019, Bibic-Lonskyy)

U23 Women: 41 seconds (2008, Bobocel-Esen)

U20 Men: 47 seconds (2017, Bibic-Garcea)

U20 Women: 20 seconds (2002, Kostic-Kalajdcic)

BACK-TO-BACK TITLES

4 Dane Korica (1969-72, Seniors Men)

4 Olivera Jevtic (1997-2000, Seniors Women)

3 Constantin Grecescu (1960-62, Seniors Men)

3 Nicolae Negru (1995-97, Seniors Men)

3 Natalia Andrei-Marasescu (1975-77, Seniors Women)

3 Ramazan Barbaros (2015-17, U20 Men)

3 Amela Terzic (2009-12, U20 Women)

3 Sonja Stolic (1997-99, U20 Women)

3 Vera Nikolic (1964-66, U20 Women)

3 Ali Tunç (2023-25, U20 Men)

Editions

Scroll for all 67 · newest first
  1. 2026 Koynare, Pleven 12 events
  2. 2025 Felix-Oradea 12 events
  3. 2024 Campulung Moldovenesc 12 events
  4. 2023 Pirdop 12 events
  5. 2019 Berane 12 events
  6. 2018 Botoşani 12 events
  7. 2017 Çanakkale 12 events
  8. 2016 Cubrija 12 events
  9. 2015 Vrbovec 12 events
  10. 2014 Darica, Kocaeli 12 events
  11. 2013 Zrenjanin 12 events
  12. 2012 Darica, Kocaeli 12 events
  13. 2011 Kragujevac 12 events
  14. 2009 Surcin 12 events
  15. 2008 Kocaeli 12 events
  16. 2007 Shumen 12 events
  17. 2006 Craiova 12 events
  18. 2005 Kocaeli 12 events
  19. 2004 Surcin 12 events
  20. 2003 Skopje 12 events
  21. 2002 Mitrovica 12 events
  22. 2001 Craiova 12 events
  23. 2000 Kirklareli 10 events
  24. 1999 Arandjelovac 10 events
  25. 1998 Sakarya 10 events
  26. 1997 Napflion 10 events
  27. 1996 Shumen 10 events
  28. 1995 Belgrade 12 events
  29. 1994 Craiova 12 events
  30. 1993 Istanbul 12 events
  31. 1992 Litochoro 12 events
  32. 1991 Sliven 12 events
  33. 1990 Felix-Oradea 10 events
  34. 1989 Velenje 10 events
  35. 1988 Istanbul 10 events
  36. 1987 Trikala 10 events
  37. 1986 Shumen 10 events
  38. 1985 Felix-Oradea 10 events
  39. 1984 Cubrija 10 events
  40. 1983 Ankara 10 events
  41. 1982 Athens 10 events
  42. 1981 Sliven 10 events
  43. 1980 Craiova 10 events
  44. 1979 Prishtine 10 events
  45. 1978 Istanbul 10 events
  46. 1977 Tripolis 10 events
  47. 1976 Shumen 10 events
  48. 1975 Felix-Oradea 10 events
  49. 1974 Velenje 10 events
  50. 1973 Istanbul 10 events
  51. 1972 Athens 10 events
  52. 1971 Sliven 10 events
  53. 1970 Bucharest 10 events
  54. 1969 Skopje 10 events
  55. 1968 Istanbul 8 events
  56. 1967 Athens 8 events
  57. 1966 Shumen 8 events
  58. 1965 Bucharest 8 events
  59. 1964 Vrnjacka Banja 8 events
  60. 1963 Istanbul 6 events
  61. 1962 Athens 4 events
  62. 1961 Sofia 4 events
  63. 1960 Bucharest 4 events
  64. 1959 Belgrade 4 events
  65. 1958 Ankara 2 events
  66. 1955 Skopje 2 events
  67. 1940 Istanbul 2 events

All-time medal table

17 nations
#NationTotal
1 Romania ROU290228176694
2 Turkey TUR167149125441
3 Yugoslavia SR JUG666767200
4 Bulgaria BUL4092108240
5 Serbia SRB352946110
6 Greece GRE245574153
7 Yugoslavia (1993-2004) YUG20182159
8 Ukraine UKR1012729
9 Albania ALB37515
10 Israel ISR3249
11 Authorized Neutral Athletes ANA2103
12 Croatia CRO11810

Most golds

  1. 1 Sonja Stolic Senior race, U23 race, U20 race · 1997–2015 Gold 9 Silver 2 Bronze 0
  2. 2 Olivera Jevtic Senior race, U20 race · 1994–2019 Gold 8 Silver 1 Bronze 1
  3. 3 Ancuta Bobocel Senior race, U23 race, U20 race · 2005–16 Gold 5 Silver 1 Bronze 0
  4. 4 Amela Terzic U23 race, U20 race · 2008–14 Gold 5 Silver 1 Bronze 0
  5. 5 Nicolae Negru Senior race · 1995–2001 Gold 4 Silver 2 Bronze 0
  6. 6 Gyorgy Marko Senior race, U23 race, U20 race · 1979–85 Gold 4 Silver 2 Bronze 0
  7. 7 Maricica Puica Senior race · 1977–84 Gold 4 Silver 0 Bronze 2
  8. 8 Mehmet Yurdadön Senior race · 1976–83 Gold 4 Silver 0 Bronze 1
  9. 9 Gheorghe Ghipu U23 race, U20 race · 1972–75 Gold 4 Silver 0 Bronze 0
  10. 10 Dane Korica Senior race · 1969–72 Gold 4 Silver 0 Bronze 0
Programme · all time

12 events contested since 1940

From 2 events in Istanbul to 12 in Koynare, Pleven.

Men 6

Women 6

Stories

14 Nov 2026 Titles shared in Koynare Turkey swept the team titles at the Balkan Cross, while several nations shared the individual titles. 8 Nov 2025 Ukraine's Atamaniuk commands Balkan XC Andriy Atamaniuk became first Ukrainian to take men's title at the Balkans. 12 Nov 2023 Balabanov takes it at home Ivo Balabanov became first Bulgarian to win senior men's title in 34 years.
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