Yuriy Borzakovskiy (© Getty Images Michael Steele)
Yuriy BORZAKOVSKIY (RUS)
Born 12 April 1981, Kratovo.
800m
PB: 1.42:47
At Olympic Games: 2000-6th
At World Indoor Championships: 2001-1st
At European Indoor Championships: 2000-1st
At European Junior Championships: 1999-1st
400m
PB: 45.84
At European Under 23 Championships: 2001-1st
Europe’s third fastest junior in 1998 at 1:47.71, he brought off a shock victory in the 1999 European Cup; slowest on paper, he out-kicked Nico Motchebon. Still only 18 he enjoyed a sensational indoor campaign in 2000, becoming the second fastest ever (to Wilson Kipketer) with his world junior record of 1:44.35 and winning all his races in style, including the European title. A 45.95 indoor 400m-relay leg out on his own revealed impressive speed, and he confirmed that with outdoor best of 45.84. He set a European junior record of 1:44.33 in the Olympic semi-final, using his usual even pace strategy which sees him far behind the leaders at the 400 mark. In training he has run 150m in 15.95 and, from flying starts, 5.85 for 60m and 10.3 for 100m.