Yordanka Donkova

In this Bulgarian name, the patronymic is Lyubchova and the family name is Donkova.

Yordanka Lyubchova Donkova (Bulgarian: Йорданка Любчова Донкова; born 28 September 1961) is a Bulgarian former hurdling athlete, notable for winning an Olympic gold medal and bronze medal as well as nine medals at European indoor and outdoor championships. Donkova set four 100 m hurdles world records in 1986. Her fifth world record, a time of 12.21 set in 1988, stood for almost 28 years until broken in 2016 by Kendra Harrison.

Yordanka Donkova

Medal record
Women's Athletics
Representing  Bulgaria
Olympic Games
	1988 Seoul	100 m hurdles
	1992 Barcelona	100 m hurdles
World Indoor Championships
	1987 Indianapolis	60 m hurdles

In total, Donkova has 16 medals from major athletics tournaments.^[1] She was named the Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year in 1986. She was also named the BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year in 1986.^[2]

Personal life

Donkova suffered a childhood accident, which resulted in her losing two fingers on her right hand. She has three children. In 1991 she gave birth to a son, Zhivko Atanasov - professional football player, currently playing for Cherno More; twin girls Daniela and Desislava followed in 1996.

After the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Donkova received an offer to compete for the United States, but refused to change her national allegiance and continued to represent Bulgaria.^[3]

Major achievements

Five-time Bulgarian National Champion at 100 m hurdles, 1980, 82, 84, 86 & 94.

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  Bulgaria
1980	Olympic Games	Moscow, Soviet Union	semi-final	100 m hurdles	13.39 sec
1982	European Indoor Championships	Milan, Italy	3rd	60 m hurdles	8.03
	European Championships	Athens, Greece	2nd	100m hurdles	12.54 (wind: 0.4 m/s)
			4th	4 × 100 m relay	43.10
1984	European Indoor Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	3rd	60 m hurdles	8.09
1986	European Championships	Stuttgart, West Germany	1st	100 m hurdles	12.38 (wind: -0.7 m/s) CR
			2nd	4 × 100 m	42.68
1987	European Indoor Championships	Lievin, France	1st	60 m hurdles	7.79
	World Indoor Championships	Indianapolis, U.S.	2nd	60 m hurdles	7.85
	World Championships	Rome, Italy	4th	100 m hurdles	12.49
1988	Olympic Games	Seoul, South Korea	1st	100 m hurdles	12.38
			5th	4 × 100 m	43.02
1989	European Indoor Championships	The Hague, Netherlands	1st	60 m hurdles	7.87
1992	European Indoor Championships	Genoa, Italy	3rd	60 m hurdles	8.03
	Olympic Games	Barcelona, Spain	3rd	100 m hurdles	12.70
1994	European Indoor Championships	Paris, France	1st	60 m hurdles	7.85
	European Championships	Helsinki, Finland	3rd	100 m hurdles	12.93 (wind: -1.7 m/s)

CR = Championship Record

World records

Donkova set five world records for the 100 metres hurdles:

• 12.36 sec - 13 August 1986 (equalling the record of Grażyna Rabsztyn)
• 12.35 sec - 17 August 1986
• 12.29 sec - 17 August 1986
• 12.26 sec - 7 September 1986
• 12.21 sec - 20 August 1988 (the world record stood until 22 July 2016)