Bulgarian wushu athlete Kalina Slavcheva placed ninth in the first event at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, scoring 8.430 points in Taijishan (Tai Chi fan).

Despite a recurring knee injury, Slavcheva performed well, but some technical elements were not credited. The injury flared up again three weeks before the competition, disrupting her preparation.

She competed in her favorite event to “Dance of the Phoenix,” a piece composed especially for her by Bulgarian composer Minko Lambov. The phoenix theme was also reflected in her competition costume.

Slavcheva is scheduled to compete in Taijiquan on November 2. The top eight athletes in the combined standings after both events will advance to the final.

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