Izmir Smajlaj Balkan champion in the long jump in Istanbul

 Izmir Smajlaj shines again in the international arena in athletics.

After the success achieved at the International Rally in Indoor Halls in Vienna, Austria, the Albanian athlete this time has been declared the Balkan champion in the 26th edition of the Balkan Games held in Istanbul, Turkey, a competition attended by athletes from 21 countries.

Izmir Smajlaj, a competitor in the long jump category, closed the competition by jumping 7.91 meters, to climb to the top of the podium, making the Albanian anthem heard again in Istanbul.

Smajlaj himself has not hidden his satisfaction for this success that will undoubtedly be one more impetus for the Albanian champion who, like any other athlete around the world, is focused on the Tokyo Olympics (scheduled to be held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan), as the most important sports event.