The sun, a great atmosphere and strong competition marked this year’s edition of the Red Bull 400 race at the Olympic ski jump on Igman. A total of 240 competitors gathered to test their strength, endurance and character in one of the most demanding sprint races in the world.
On a track only 400 meters long, but with a height difference of even 170 meters, the fastest in the men’s competition was Hadi Goro with a time of 4 minutes and 10 seconds. Second place was won by Aldin Rizvić (4:19), while Aleksa Vuković (4:42) was third.
In the women’s competition, Tea Faber from Croatia celebrated with a time of 5:01, setting a new track record. Second place went to Alma Alijagić (5:36), and third place to Emina Alagić (6:10).
“The challenge was difficult. I had competition made up of excellent runners, among them young competitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina with a really bright future in trail running. It was definitely a challenge for me to be with them. Although I did not break my personal record, which still stands, today’s race was really demanding”, said Aleksa Vuković, winner of the first edition of the Red Bull 400 held in 2021.
According to the technical director of the race, Admir Šabić, this year’s edition brought extremely high-quality competition and excellent conditions for the competition.
“Red Bull 400 is a great challenge. The very fact that it bears the epithet of the hardest sprint race in the world attracts a lot of attention. This year we had competitors from many European countries, but our competitors once again showed their quality and broke some records at Igman. We were also lucky with the weather, so the conditions for the race were almost ideal”, said Šabić.
The winner of the women’s competition, Tea Faber from Croatia, achieved victory with a great finish.
“I started a little slower and a lot of girls were ahead of me at the start, but I did the final part of the climb very well and made a big difference there. I am currently the world’s number one woman in stair running and my experience from such races helped me on this steepest part of the course. This is my first time on Igman and the view from the top is truly phenomenal,” said Faber.
For Hadi Goro, winning on Igman is the realization of a long-standing dream.
“I first heard about the Red Bull 400 when I was 16. At that time, I couldn’t participate because the race only accepts adult competitors. I remember coming to watch the race and being disappointed that I couldn’t compete. Today I finally got my chance and won first place. I ran 4 minutes and 10 seconds in the final and I am overjoyed with the victory,” added Goro.
The Red Bull 400 once again confirmed its status as one of the most attractive sports events in Bosnia and Herzegovina, gathering professional athletes, recreational athletes and all those who want to test their own limits at the legendary Olympic location on Igman, Klix.ba writes.
