As a junior, he won silver medals at the 1999 World Youth Championships and the 2000 World Junior Championships. He was also a gold medalist at the 2003 Summer Universiade and a bronze medalist at the 2005 Summer Universiade. He also competed in the 2004 Olympic Games, but came last in the pole vault final. He finished sixth in the pole vault final at the 2006 European Athletics Championships and fourth at the 2007 European Athletics Indoor Championships. He then competed at the 2007 World Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games without reaching the final.