Biography
Tihomir Ivanov started playing sports from his early school years. Before taking up athletics, Tihomir trained acrobatics, football, basketball. And in the first grade he learned to do a front somersault. But in a short time he grew up in height too much. So in 6th grade he turned to athletics, and his parents, who are former athletes, only encouraged him in his choice.
One of his first accolades was as a student – he became State Champion in 2008.
Undoubtedly, one of the first highlights of his career was his debut international competition in 2011. For the first time the Bulgarian went to such a big forum for him – Balkan Youth Festival. And he finished in first place, winning a gold medal!!!
A little later that year he also participated in the European Olympic Forum, where he qualified in the final week.
On his way up
In the summer of 2015 Tihomir Ivanov finished 7th at the European Championships for juniors and girls under 23 in Tallinn, Estonia. The Pleven athlete achieved 218 cm.
He started his competition with clean attempts at 210 and 215 cm, overcame 218 cm on his second stepping and dropped three fouls at 221 cm. The championship with 230 cm was won by Ilya Ivanyuk (Russia). Second is Dmitri Kreuter (Israel) – 224 cm.
Final of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro 2016
2016 was undoubtedly one of the most successful years in the jumper’s career. After the 5th place at the European Championships in Amsterdam, the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro followed.
Tihomir Ivanov became the most successful Bulgarian in an Olympic final in the men’s high jump after placing 10th in Rio de Janeiro.
Until now, the best ranking by a Bulgarian athlete in a an Olympics forum was by our national record holder Georgi Dukov, who has a 14th place finish in the 1992 Barcelona Games.
The 22-year-old Ivanov, for whom this was his Olympic debut, equalled his personal best of 2.29m for the second time in Brazil. Georgi Getov’s pupil started by clearing 2.22m on his first attempt and then made one mistake at 2.25m which cost him a better placing. He then jumped 2.29m, but failed at 2.33m in all his three attempts.
The Bulgarian’s performance deserves admiration as he left behind in the rankings many more experienced athletes with serious successes. After our boy came the bronze medallist from the World Championships in Degu in 2011. Trevor Barry (Bahamas), the world indoor champion from Istanbul 2012 Dimitrios Kondrokoukis (Greece) and the Czech Jaroslav Baba, bronze medallist from the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 and from the World Indoor Championships in Budapest in 2004, as well as silver and bronze winner from the European Indoor Championships.
Fouth in Europe
At the European Championships in Belgrade in 2017 one successful attempt at 2.18 m. deprived Tihomir Ivanov of a medal. Ivanov cleared 2.27 on his first attempt, as did one of his rivals, Pavel Siliverstau, but the Belarusian deserved the bronze medal as Ivanov had a foul on the initial height of 2.18. The athlete from Pleven had no fault at 2.23 and 2.27. This is also Tihomir Ivanov’s best placing in a major competition to date.
Personal best
At the World Championships in London in the same year 2017 Tihomir Ivanov qualified for the final, doing so with a personal best – 2.31 meters! The memorable date for him is 11 August 2017.
The Bulgarian met the qualification standard on his second attempt, having previously cleared 2.17m, 2.22m, 2.26m and 2.29m respectively.
Unfortunately, a thigh injury prevented the Bulgarian from taking part in the final itself, as he made one unsuccessful attempt at 2.20m and then terminated his participation.
Amongts the best in the world
In 2018 Tihomir Ivanov entered the Top 10 at the World Championships in Birmingham. The Bulgarian splits 9th place, clearing the initial height of 2.20 meters on his third attempt and then dropping 2.25 meters.
The gold medal goes to Russia’s Danil Lysenko, silver goes to favourite Mutaz Esa Barshim of Qatar with 2.33m. Mateusz Przybylko of Germany grabbed bronze with 2.29m cleared on his second attempt.
Universiade Naples 2019 Champion
Tihomir Ivanov recorded one of his biggest accomplishments in 2019 when he became the champion of the Summer Universiade in the Italian city of Naples. He won the gold medal with a score of 2.30 meters, his best result of the season.
Far behind him in second place was Alperen Aget (Turkey) with 2.24. The third position goes to Lithuania’s Andrius Glebauskas, who also posted 2.24m.
Second Olympic Games - Tokyo 2021
During his second participation in the Olympic Games – in Tokyo in 2021, Tihomir Ivanov failed to qualify for his second final. The 27-year-old from Pleven managed only 2.17 meters and after three mistakes on 2.21 meters he dropped out, as the qualifying standard for a place in the final was 2.30 meters.
Earlier in the year, the Bulgarian failed to qualify at the European Indoor Championships in Torun in March, but it subsequently emerged that he had competed at the championships with COVID-19.
Change of personal coach and new course
With the start of the new fall season in 2021, Tihomir Ivanov is embarking on a new course in his career. He starts training in the group of one of the most elite specialists in jumping – Georgi Pomashki, and this requires a move to Athens.
Until then, throughout his competitive career, Tihomir trained with his discoverer – Georgi Getov. Under his guidance Ivanov reached 231 cm in the high jump, twice became fourth at the European Indoor Championships, a finalist at the Olympic Games in Rio and at the World Championships.
Starting strong in 2024
At the European Championships in Rome in June 2024, Tihomir Ivanov qualified for the final by meeting the qualification standard of 2.21 m. And he did it unquestionably – with successful attempts of 2.12, 2.17 and 2.21.
In the final, the Bulgarian remained in 6th place with a score of 2.22 meters. Before that he overcame 2.17 meters from the first attempt. However, the height of 2.26 metres proved to be too much for him.
“It sounds a bit strange, but I feel like the Phoenix bird rising from the ashes. In the winter, I couldn’t imagine competing in the summer as I had a serious problem. I feel comfortable in the sector, I know what I’m doing and maybe I need a bit more jumps at more serious altitudes and in competition mode. I need more time and definitely my coach Georgi Pomashki and I know that I’m ready and the question is to realize it,” Ivanov said after the European…
Final of the Olympic Games in Paris 2024
Indeed, like a phoenix bird, fate gives Tihomir a huge chance to participate in his third Olympic Games. Our country gets the right to an additional quota and the athlete starts training for the Olympic Games in Paris.
The French capital turns out to be a hospitable place for the best Bulgarian athlete in the high jump. Ivanov passes the qualification and qualifies for the second time in his career to the final of the Olympic Games after Rio in 2016.
In Paris, Tihomir cleared 2.24m. On the second attempt and became part of the best 12 jumpers on the planet.
In the final on 10 August, Ivanov cleared 2.17 m. on his second attempt, followed by an excellent jump of 2.22 m. and cleared 2.27 m. on his second attempt. In fact, this is the strongest result for the Bulgarian since 2.31 m (in August 2017).
The bar is raised to 2.31 m., but three unsuccessful attempts follow and so Tihomir Ivanov remains in 8th place! His best ranking at an Olympic Games and the best ranking of a Bulgarian athlete in the high jump in our history.
Our other two representatives over the years are Evgeni Yordanov and Georgi Dukov. At the 1964 Tokyo Games Evgeni finished in 12th position with 206 cm. He was the unchangeable Bulgarian leader in this discipline from 1960 to 1970. His greatest success was sixth place at the European Championships in Belgrade in 1969.
Georgi Dukov is the biggest talent of Bulgaria in the high jump – after all, at only 17 years old he already jumps 220 cm. Dukov is the national record holder with 236 cm (Tihomir has a personal best of 231 from 2017), and at the 1992 Barcelona Games he finished 14th last in the final with 224 cm.
Outside the competitions...
Tihomir Ivanov really likes fishing and computer games. They relax him and through them he mostly rests. As well as drones and movie mania. When he has more free time, he loves to spend it with his closest people and with walks in nature.
