Hottest Hungarian athletes to watch at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics

As the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo draw closer (Feb 6-22), Hungary is likely to dispatch one of its larger winter Olympic delegations in recent history, who will compete in five different disciplines. Hungary may be more famous for its summer Olympic success but the buildup to Milan-Cortina is drawing attention to a number of Hungarian athletes who could cause a stir by achieving personal bests, national milestones and even historic results.

Short-track speed skating remains Hungary’s flagship sport

The short-track is still Hungary’s main winter sport, however, the terrain has not been the same since the last Olympics. Good results at the ISU Short Track World Tour resulted in the country securing six quota places in the short-track competitive events, such as the women and men competing as a squad in the 5000 m relay. Betting fans can check out SportyTrader for more sports betting predictions and tips for the various disciplines at the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Athletes expected to carry the Hungarian flag include:

·         Petra Jászapati: a seasoned short-track skater with Olympic experience and a member of the 2022 mixed relay bronze-winning team, remains a significant women’s athlete.

·         Moon Wonjun: a member of the Hungarian men’s team that qualified the relay team through its strong performances.

·         Dániel Tiborcz: a member of the male short-trackers who help Hungarian relays believe.

·         Bence Nógrádi: a rising male skater expected to contribute across distances.

Maja Somodi and Diána Laura Vegi were the top-ranking female qualifiers for the short-track event and are expected to compete in the individual events as well as support the team events.

This shows that in the post-Liu brother era, Hungary is shifting to younger athletes as homegrown skaters step up after nationality changes of old Winter Olympians.

Cross-country skiing

The Hungarian team has named four cross-country selections who qualified for the Milan-Cortina Olympics via international events.

·         Lara Vanda Laczko is the leading female endurance skier on the Hungarian team.

·         Sara Ponya is also a solid contender in the women’s cross-country team.

·         Adam Buki is one of Hungary’s male cross-country skiers competing at the World Cup level.

·         Adam Konya is a veteran Hungarian cross-country competitor with consistent results on the international scene.

Hungary’s decision to field four athletes for this endurance discipline reflects one of the deepest cross-country lineups it has ever had.