Azerbaijan’s Tatyana Smilovenko Wins Silver at European U23 Sprint Championships
Baku, The Gulf Observer: Azerbaijani rower Tatyana Smilovenko claimed a silver medal at the 2026 Paddle Europe Juniors and Under-23 Sprint Championships held in Szeged, Hungary, delivering a standout performance in the women’s under-23 competition.
Smilovenko secured the runner-up position in the U23 women’s single canoe (C-1) 500-meter event after an impressive showing in the decisive Final A.
Crossing the finish line in second place, the Azerbaijani athlete earned the silver medal, adding another notable achievement to the country’s growing success in international canoe sprint competitions.
The championship, which brought together Europe’s top junior and under-23 paddlers, serves as one of the continent’s premier events for emerging talent in the sport. Smilovenko’s podium finish highlights Azerbaijan’s continued progress in canoe sprint and reinforces the nation’s presence on the European competitive stage.
