Croatian triple jumpers Magdalena Perić and Paola Borović competed at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. Borović competed just six days after spraining her ankle, aware that she risked further injury.
In the evening session of the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham on August 10, 2026, two Croatian triple jumpers took to the stage. Magdalena Perić finished 23rd with a jump of 13.44 meters, while Paola Borović placed 24th with a leap of 13.23 meters.
Magdalena Perić did not hide her satisfaction after her debut at a major competition. "Overall, I'm happy with my first big event. Maybe I felt a bit of nerves, but it turned out fine. I didn't even think about the chances of making the final, but I think this is a good start for a first major competition. I'm satisfied," Perić told Večernji list.
The atmosphere in the stadium didn't distract her much as she was focused on the track, but she did highlight the support from the crowd. "When we were coming in and going out, the crowd cheered us on, and I think that really helped with the overall experience and relaxing," she added. Her season isn't over yet, but the main part is done. She had no concrete information about a potential appearance at the Mediterranean Games: "I don't know, nothing has been told to me yet."
Paola Borović was visibly upset after her performance. The reason was an injury that struck just six days before the competition. "I'm sad because I wasn't 100 percent ready. I sprained my ankle six days ago. Bad timing. I think only a madman would do a triple jump with a sprained ankle, but I didn't want to miss the chance to compete at the European Championship," Borović stated.
The injury happened during training at the Mladost stadium. "My foot just gave way on the grass. Since they clearly don't maintain that turf well, my whole foot twisted and swelled up... It was a real drama. I didn't run or jump for six days, and I was praying to God that I could compete in Birmingham," she described the dramatic moments. Despite the pain during taping, she gritted her teeth and gave it her all, even though jumping a triple jump with a sprained ankle-and on her take-off leg-was extremely difficult.
Borović is aware that the injury cost her the chance to show her true form. "I'm sorry because I was in the best shape of my life. All season I've been jumping around 13.65, but, well, in sports you need luck," she said. Her appearance in Birmingham was also a triumph in itself given the circumstances. Two years ago, she had to miss the European Championship in Rome due to a serious back injury.
"That's true. After having to miss the European Championships in Rome two years ago due to a severe back injury, I've since gotten a job, worked several jobs, worked at the Hanžek organization. I also have a podcast where I interview athletes, with the goal of promoting athletes and sports beyond just football," Borović shared. Alongside all her sporting commitments and her doctorate, she still manages to train, making her performance even more impressive.
