athletics

Kenyan marathoners dream to compete at Tokyo Olympic Games

kenya Eliud Kipchoge marathon

World marathon record holders Brigid Kosgei and Eliud Kipchoge say they are open for selection to represent Kenya at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The two marathoners have left the world dreaming of how fast they can run and will be a major inclusion to the Olympics if Kenya settles on them to compete in Tokyo.

Kipchoge became the first man ever to break two hours mark in Vienna, Austria in the INEOS 1:59 Challenge where he clocked 1:59.40.

In Chicago, Kosgei set a new women’s world record of 2:14:04.

“I promise to deliver more and more. The Olympics are always in my mind,” said Kosgei on Wednesday.

“However, it is not down to me, but Athletics Kenya to decide who to enter in the marathon at the Olympics.”

Kipchoge, also speaking in Nairobi on Tuesday, told reporters that he is focused on defending his Olympic marathon title in Sapporo, Japan, where the 42km road race and walking competition have been moved to away from Tokyo.

“I said if Athletics Kenya agrees to give me a chance I will be happy to honor it. The Olympics has always been part of my plans and my management knows as much. I will not miss competing for Kenya at the Olympics,” said Kipchoge.

Kenya won the Olympic marathon titles in Rio Games in 2016 through Kipchoge and the now banned Jemimah Sumgong.

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the late Samuel Wanjiru won Kenya’s first gold in the race. However, Athletics Kenya is open to the idea of Kipchoge and Kosgei representing the country in the Tokyo Olympics.

Kenya will have three names to select in each category, women and men, from a reservoir of over 100 athletes, who have hit the qualifying mark.
These athletes must also be subjected to rigorous in-competition and out-of-competition doping tests to ascertain them being clean.

This is after the country was placed under category A, which means its athletes are most likely to cheat. Other countries under the same category are Ethiopia, Ukraine, and Venezuela.

“I am happy with the support and well-wisher messages that came in after the Chicago race. It was an incredible feeling,” said Kosgei.

“I promise to deliver more and more and make Kenya proud. I’m willing even to take the test like that of Kipchoge, the INEOS 1:59 Challenge,” she added.

Budapest council votes to support athletics world championships

The general assembly of Budapest has unanimously voted to support plans to host the 2023 World Athletics Championships, in return for the government’s meeting conditions the city set earlier.

One of the city’s preconditions is that the planned new stadium in District 9 to host the events should be constructed as a facility that serves local participant sports and could be used for cultural events, too, as part of a recreational park.

Another condition is that the government should increase the budget for the Healthy Budapest Programme by at least 50 billion forints (EUR 150m) to improve the districts’ health services.

Further, with a view to expanding green spaces in the city, work should begin on the afforestation project through creating at least 100 hectares of greenland.

The city also expects the government to meet earlier, contracted obligations with regard to public transport, and start recultivation of brown zone sites.

The assembly has authorised Mayor Gergely Karácsony to negotiate with the government concerning the planned world championships and give briefings on his talks.

Karácsony said the city was seeking “a good compromise” and argued that “we should listen to not only sports people but also to voters that think that too much has been spent on competitive sports and too little on health care”.

The mayor praised the government for its willingness to accept the municipal assembly’s position on the subject.

He added, however, that the government should confirm in writing its commitments made earlier to István Tarlós, his predecessor in the mayoral post. He said the city was “sceptical about the future” but it would “give cooperation with the government a chance”.

Two district councils give go-ahead to world athletics event in Budapest

The prime minister’s chief of staff has welcomed backing by the district councils of Ferencváros and Csepel for Budapest to host the 2023 World Athletics Championships.

Gergely Gulyás on Tuesday noted that the backing of the respective councils was essential for the event to go ahead. He noted that

the opposition commands a majority in both districts.

He told MTI that Ferencváros council’s conditions for giving the go-ahead would be taken by the government as suggestions and would be integrated into the development of the athletics center. Also, a park development will be created in the area according to earlier plans, he said, adding that the investment would be “the greenest of the past thirty years in Budapest”.

Gulyás said

the government now awaited the decision of the City Assembly and would examine any related proposals made by the capital.

Budapest mayor sets conditions for capital’s consent to 2023 World Athletics Championships

2023 World Athletics Championships Budapest

Gergely Karácsony, the mayor of Budapest, has set conditions for going ahead with the 2023 World Athletics Championships and giving his consent to the construction of the stadium needed to host the event.

One condition is that the government should increase the budget for the Healthy Budapest Programme by 50 billion forints (EUR 150m) for purchasing additional imaging equipment, Karácsony told a news conference on Monday.

Further, with a view to expanding green spaces in the city, work should begin on the afforestation project in Csepel, and planned sports investments Csepel area should be scrapped, he said.

Also, sports investment along the Danube River should not only be venues for one-off competitive events but should also cater to the public and host cultural events, he added.

Karácsony said

all investment contracts should be in the public domain and the government should remain committed to transport investments in the capital.

The city assembly will hold a vote on these conditions on Wednesday.

Past champions lobby for 2023 World Athletics Championships to be held in Budapest

athletics world champ lobby

Prominent Hungarian champions of the past holding the title of Athlete of the Nation have asked Budapest’s new leaders that the city should remain the host of the 2023 World Athletics Championships, one of them, Pal Schmitt, told MTI on Saturday.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) granted Budapest the right to host the prestigious event in December 2018.

The city’s bid included building a new sports stadium for the purpose.

Gergely Karácsony, Budapest’s new mayor elected last month, announced among his first measures a ban on building more sports stadiums in the capital.

The 12 athletes have now expressed concern over the latest developments surrounding the world athletics championships.

“We are convinced that organising such a major international competition could not only boost Hungary’s reputation, but also stimulate young people’s interest in sports,” they said.

Supreme court okays referendum on sports stadium plans for Csepel island

The plan of the new stadium

Hungary’s supreme court has given the green light to a referendum initiative in which voters could be asked if they want to see a new sports stadium built on southern Budapest’s Csepel island.

The initiative, sponsored by a former politician of green LMP, was rejected by the National Election Committee (NVB) in July. Dániel Kassai sought to ask residents if the stadium construction, planned for the northern tip of the island, should be banned until January 1, 2023.

The NVB said at the time that the referendum would affect a government decree, while referenda could only be held concerning subjects under parliament’s powers.

In its binding ruling on Monday, the Kúria said that the referendum could only prevent construction until January 2023, rather than prevent it altogether, and would not affect the government’s powers to seek permits for the project.

As we wrote in 2017, the government passed a resolution in which it proposed that the City of Budapest and the Hungarian Olympic Committee should withdraw Budapest’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.

No to Budapest2024 – Yes to the investments?

 

What does it take to run a marathon

What does it take to run a marathon

If grabbing your headphones and hitting the pavement for 42.2 kilometers sounds like a fun time, you might want to start preparing for a marathon. This type of race isn’t super exciting, but it’s an achievement not many can say they conquered. While there are many things people don’t know about running a marathon, you don’t have to stay in the dark anymore. Here are some of the most important facts that will help you reach the finish line.

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Genetics plays a role

Just a reminder: some of your speed and endurance might be genetic. Certain people have a combination of genes that provide them with muscles filled with blood vessels perfect for efficient oxygen delivery. This allows them to endure aerobic exercises like running much easier.

Your body type can also play a role.

For instance, tall and muscular people are better at sprinting, while short light people tend to be good long-distance runners.

Planning is important

Even if you’re genetically inclined to run long distance, you still need to train in order to be able to finish a marathon.

Most people need to train at least 10 weeks for a half-marathon, provided they aren’t total beginners.

A full marathon preparation usually takes about 20 weeks. During this time, you will put your body into training mode that will boost your maximum muscle output, your stamina and your glycogen stores. So, make sure to dedicate some time to serious runs that will prepare your body for what’s to come during your marathon run.

Minimize outside variables

Many runners try to boost their aerodynamic properties by wearing proper clothing and covering their hair.

This can actually make your race times faster and allow you to feel more comfortable on race day. Also, no matter how well you take the heat, remember that your body will get extra hot as you run, so if you’re a beginner, it’s better to choose Vancouver marathon in May than Madrid marathon in April as your first race.

Get good gear

Every runner is different, but there are some rules when it comes to choosing your race kit. First (and most importantly) you need to find good long-distance running shoes. Those light shoes you have at home might be good for running a few kilometers on a treadmill, but they won’t get you through your race. You’ll need something that offers more stability and cushioning. In order to find something that suits you, run a few double-digit runs in your shoes of choice. Some sweat-wicking shorts and shirts will also come in handy and keep you dry.

Eat like a champ 

What you eat before, during and after your runs is crucial for your performance. If you eat too little, you’ll run out of energy, but if you eat too much, you’ll need to hit the bathroom before you pass through the finish line. Eat something high-carb, low-fiber before a few hours before your run that will give you the energy to push through your run. In order to keep your energy up during long runs, you’ll need to refuel with carbs that will keep your blood sugar levels high. When you finish your run, make sure to eat a meal within 30 and 60 minutes post-run. This mixed carbs and protein meals will allow your body to recover, replenish your glycogen stores and repair microscopic damage to your muscles.

Stay hydrated

Drinking before, during and after your run will help you boost your performance. The truth is that even a few percent of dehydration can slow you down, so boost your hydration, especially if it’s hot outside. Some runners tend to just drink when they are thirsty, others swear in rehydration according to sweat tests (weigh yourself before and after the run to see how much water you’ve lost).

Now that you know the basics and things to expect during your training and marathon runs, you can start prepping for your first race. If all of this seems like a lot to handle right now, tackling a half-marathon is always an option.

246 km run: Hungarians won both the men’s and women’s categories! – video

Hungary second most successful at European Maccabi Games

Hungary second most successful at European Maccabi Games

Hungary was the second most successful country after the US in terms of medals won at the European Maccabi Games held in Budapest, Tamás Deutsch, president of sports club MTK and chairman of the board of patronage of the games, said on Wednesday.

The 15th European Maccabi Games has been the biggest multisport event in Hungary, with 2,311 athletes from 42 countries participating, including record-many 208 Hungarians, Deutsch told a press conference. The US won 75 gold, 43 silver and 37 bronze medals and the total 100 medals won by Hungary made the country the most successful European country at the games. They were followed by Germany, the UK and Latvia, he said.

Deutsch said

the games had been organised with state support of 4.9 billion forints (EUR 15m) but it resulted in 1.5 billion forints in tax revenues and 5 billion forints revenues for economic players.

He added that the government had reiterated its promise to build a Jewish sports centre in Budapest and its construction is expected to start within the next few years.

15th European Maccabi Games opened in Budapest

President János Áder on Tuesday welcomed contestants participating in the 15th European Maccabi Games, a championship of Jewish athletes.

“We Hungarians are always ready to root for our athletes … We are proud of the many identities thriving in the Hungarian team, under the Hungarian flag. We are proud of our Jewish compatriots whose achievements boost our shared confidence,” Ader said in his speech opening the event.

Hungarian Jews have been present in Hungarian sports history from the start, he said:

Ferenc Kemény contributed to organising the first modern-day Olympics and another Hungarian Jew, the swimmer Alfred Hajós, won the country’s first gold medal there.

The Maccabi Games were conceived in the same spirit, Áder said: to celebrate performance and to create a community through games.

15th European Maccabi Games opened in Budapest
Budapest, Hungary. Photo: MTI

Áder wished the participants “noble fights and memorable moments”.

Motti Tichauer, chairman of the European Maccabi Confederation, told the event that the first European Maccabi Games were held in Prague in 1929 but during the past 90 years none of countries in the region hosted the games so it has only now returned to its central-eastern European roots.

The opening event featured some seventy performers and the flame was lit by world and Olympic champion chess player Judit Polgár and five-time Olympic champion gymnast Ágnes Keleti.

The central venue of the games will be the Ludovika Campus in the Orczy Gardens where daily awards ceremonies will be held, as well as exhibitions, concerts and film screenings.

15th European Maccabi Games opened in Budapest
Budapest, Hungary. Photo: MTI
15th European Maccabi Games opened in Budapest
Photo: MTI

The 15th European Maccabi Games will run through next Wednesday. Some 5,000 participants including 2,311 athletes arrived from 42 countries for the games.

PM Orbán meets Maccabi Games representatives

PM-Orbán-meets-Maccabi-Games-representatives

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met in his office representatives of the 15th European Maccabi Games starting in Budapest on Monday.

As we wrote before, the 15th Maccabi European Games kicks off in Budapest on the 29th of July, lasting until the 7th of August.

Maccabi was represented by Motti Tichauer, chairman of the European Maccabi Confederation, and Jack Terpins, vice president of the Maccabi World Union.

Orbán welcomed that the event has returned to its central European roots after 90 years, noting that the Games had been hosted only once in the region: the first one, held in Prague in 1929.

As one of the world’s safest countries, Hungary is capable and prepared to host events of such dimensions, Orbán said.

The prime minister said the government provides protection and support to Hungary’s Jewish community to help them preserve their identity. Supporting Jewish athletes is an important aspect of this effort, he said.

The meeting was attended by András Heisler, president of Hungary’s Jewish federation Mazsihisz, Ádám Jusztin, the head of Maccabi VAC Hungary, and MEP Tamás Deutsch, the head of sports club MTK.

The Maccabi Games is expected to bring together a record 3,000 participants including 2,300 athletes from 42 countries.

It will be the biggest multi-sports event Hungary has ever held.

The event will be formally opened by President János Áder on Tuesday and run until Aug. 7.

The Hungarian government has supported the games with 5 billion forints (EUR 15.3m).

At a press conference later on Monday, Tichauer expressed thanks to the Hungarian government for its support. He said that athletes have also been invited from nine non-European countries, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the Republic of South Africa, Australia and Israel.

Heisler said the Games represented an event of special importance also to Hungary’s Jewish community. He said that numerous cultural and religious events would be organised to coincide with the games, including a huge worship service in Budapest’s Dohány Street Synagogue.

Budapest’s marathon tourism more than tripled in past decade

The number of tourists visiting Hungary to participate in running events such as marathons has more than tripled in the past decade, daily Világgazdaság said on Tuesday, citing figures from the government commissioner for an active Hungary and the Budapest Sport Office.

Nearly 25,000 foreigners ran in three large Budapest events last year, the Telekom Vivicitta City Protection Run, the Wizz Air Budapest Half Marathon and the SPAR Budapest Marathon, as against only 8,000 in 2007, the paper said.

The number of guest nights and the money spent by runners visiting Hungary has also increased significantly, the paper added. The former exceeded 80,000 last year as against 21,000 in 2007, and the latter totalled 4 billion forints (EUR 12.3m) last year as against 600 million forints in 2007.

Budapest Sport Office managing director Árpád Kocsis told the paper that Hungary was competing with the Czech Republic for first place in the region when it comes to running tourism.

Last year, runners came to Hungary from 90 countries.

The highest number was from the UK, followed by France, Germany, Italy, Slovakia and the US. Kocsis said the number of foreign runners is expected to increase by 5-10 percent this year.

As we wrote a few weeks ago, domestic tourism has increased by 8.3 % in the first quarter. On average, 113 euros were spent on a reservation, while the busiest day was during the long weekend in March. Details HERE.


Good to know: Areas around Chain Bridge to be revamped

Hungary offers guarantee to support Budapest bid for 2023 Athletics World Championships

The plan of the new stadium

The Hungarian government is offering a financial guarantee in support of Budapest’s bid to host the 2023 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships.

Candidates are expected to present to the IAAF the government guarantee on the costs of hosting the event by November 1, the Hungarian Athletics Association said on Thursday.

The IAAF is to pick the winning candidate on December 4.

President of IAAF Sebastian Coe said in July that Budapest was a preferred candidate for the event, the website atletika.hu said.

The budget also approved by the IAAF shows that hosting the event would cost 31.5 billion forints (EUR 97.2m).

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Photo: atletika.hu

IAAF wants Budapest to host 2023 World Championships

The plan of the new stadium

The governing body of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) approved the recommendation that Budapest be declared the preferred European city to host the IAAF World Championships in 2023, at a meeting in Buenos Aires.

“The process now is for a full technical, financial and risk evaluation to be undertaken with the results presented to the Council in December. At that stage a final decision will be made,” the IAAF said.

The IAAF World Championships, a biennial competition, was hosted by London in 2017. It will take place in Doha next year and in Eugene, in the United States, in 2021.

Featured image: www.facebook.com/BajiBalázs

Budapest could host the 2023 World Championship in Athletics

Sport Roland Levy

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has announced that, during their meeting in Buenos Aires, Budapest was suggested as the host for the outdoor 2023 World Championship in Athletics – reports index.hu.

Sebastian Coe, president of the IAAF, announced during the press conference closing the meeting in Buenos Aires that the association made up of 27 members supports the idea of Budapest and the Hungarian Athletics Association (MASZ) hosting the 2023 World Championship. Péter Deutsch, responsible for MASZ’s application to be host in 2023, said the following about the promising news: “We have to meet the high-level requirements introduced in the new application system of the IAAF so that the Hungarian Athletics Association can be officially announced in December as the host.

Until then, and, hopefully in the coming 5 years as well, our only goal is to ensure that we can host the best ever world championship.”

iaaf, meeting
IAAF meeting
Photo: atletika.hu

Balázs Fürjes, the government commissioner responsible for international sports applications, said that it is an honour to receive positive feedback about the Hungarian application to be the host. He also said that

“We are on the right path and have reached an important milestone, however, we must not forget that there is still a long way to go until December. We have to work hard to ensure that Budapest will still be at the top in a few months.”

Márton Gyulai, manager of the application committee, revealed that IAAF is going to break the old habit of choosing the host from several different candidates. The reason for this is that, in the past, many cities were left disappointed, not to mention the amount of money some of them spent on convincing IAAF to choose them as the host, even if they did not have the knowledge and experience required for organising an event of such volume. According to Gyulai, who is also a member of the committee of the European Athletics Association,

“IAAF is now consciously looking for partners to work with who can help and manage the decision-making process so that the appropriate candidate can be chosen.”

It is nevertheless certain that, after the 2019 World Championship will be held in Qatar and Eugene in the US will be the host in 2021, the 2023 championship will find a host in Europe – fingers crossed it will be Hungary.

For more news, check out this article about the possibility of Hungary ever becoming a host of the Olympics.

Featured image: MTI/AP/Matt Dunham

Hungary’s Debrecen, Miskolc to host 2024 European Universities Games

EUSA - European University Sports Association

Hungary’s Debrecen and Miskolc have won the bid to host the European Universities Games (EUG) in 2024, the European University Sports Association (EUSA) announced on Friday.

The Games represent the largest European multisport student event with European university teams as participants.

As EUSA’s press release said, the second day of the European University Sports Association (EUSA) events in Madrid was dedicated to the General Assembly. The Assembly took some important decision and we are happy to announce that European family of University Sport is richer for one more member and we know who will organize the next two editions of the European Universities Games.

EUSA President Mr Adam Roczek opened the second day of EUSA General Assembly, welcoming all the guests and representatives of 37 member countries present and gave the word to our distinguished guests and hosts.

The two Hungarian cities have won the bid ahead of Lodz to host the Games in a year when Hungary will hold the rotating presidency of the EU in the second half, the Hungarian university sports federation (MEFS) said in a statement.

Hailing EUSA’s decision as a huge success, deputy state secretary Péter Sárfalvi said the Games will be Hungary’s largest ever multisport event with about 6,000 athletes participating.

Photo: https://www.eusa.eu

Hungarian athlete comes in second in ironman race in Argentina

József Major Hungarian athlete reached second place of Ironman Mar Del Plata in Argentina. He biked and ran from a position of disadvantage. He finished the run consisting of 3.9 km of swimming, 180 km of biking and 42 km of running in 8 hours 26 minutes and 3 seconds, reports index.hu.

The seven-time Hungarian champion triathlon sportsman was quite behind his rivals during the swimming, his weakest discipline. Marr Chrabot, the winner started biking with a 10 minute 15 second advantage.

But Major is among the best in the other two disciplines, so a great pursuit competition begun.

Major got nearer and nearer in the 180 km biking and got one minute ahead of Chabot, riding the second best time. The Hungarian Ironman performed even better in marathon running, he took his opponents over one by one, he tried to get on the podium from the fifth place. At the 16th km, he was fourth, seven kilometres later he was third. He stepped one more place ahead from there. Nevertheless, he had no chance of defeating Chabot, who ran a time 6 minutes 6 seconds better than Major.

According to his website, József Major was born on the 21th of January, 1979. He started his sports career at the age of ten.

He ran as a youth, but, following the suggestion of his teacher, Edith Soós, he started focusing on duathlon races as well.

She made it possible that Major could participate in several world games, as part of the Hungarian National Team, and they won the World Duathlon Champion title in 1996 in Ferrarra, Italy.

Major’s triathlon career started at the university, where László Papp and Dr. Géza Zakariás trained him and his results improved continuously. It soon turned out that long distance running was more suitable for him, so in 2002 he started preparing for that. He received the Ironman Hungarian Championship title seven times, of which he is genuinely proud. His best result was in the Hawaiian World Championship in 2011 and his first international ironman victory was in April 2008, Arizona. These made him an internationally recognised triathlete.

Featured Image: https://www.facebook.com/Jozsef.Major.Ironman/photos/

Hungary in the home straight for World Athletics Championship

The plan of the new stadium

According to vg.hu, Magyar Nemzet reported on Friday that Budapest has the opportunity to organise the World Athletics Championship in 2023 after it became announced that the African countries can only apply for the 2025 Championship at the earliest.

Hamad Kalkaba Malbum, the president of the Confederation of African Athletics, announced on Wednesday that the 2023 Championship would be too early for the continent. Márton Gyulai, the General Secretary of the Hungarian Athletics Association and member of the European Athletics Association, stated that they were not surprised, because they were previously informed.

At the same time, however, the Internatinal Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) still has not made clear the requirements related to the organisation of the 2023 Championship. Márton Gyulai further added that

only after having seen the expectations can a country, like Hungary or any of the 214 member states, think over the possibility of organizing the event.

The Hungarian sports diplomat pointed out that, apart from Hungary, there is no IAAF country that yet showed interest in the event. The winner plan for the sport event has been already created, and a totally new athletic stadium would provide the venue for the occasion situated south to the Rákóczi Bridge. The Stadium, in its extended form, will be able to host 55,000 people.

Photo: atletika.hu

Ce: bm

A planet was named after a Hungarian Olympic Champion athlete

According to 24.hu, a minor planet was named after the Hungarian Olympic Champion of hammer throw, Gyula Zsivótzky. He now “officially looks down at us” from 175437 Zsivotzky (2006 QJ31).

The great news was shared by his son, World Championship bronze medallist decathlete Attila Zsivoczky on his Facebook page:

“From now on, dad officially looks down at us from the sky. A minor planet was named after him thanks to the Bányai Panorama Association. I am very proud.”

NASA shared a small introduction about the athlete on their website, and that the planet named after him was discovered by two Hungarian astronomers, Krisztián Sárneczky and Zoltán Kuli on the 21st of August, 2006 in Piszkostető.

Photo: www.minorplanetcenter.net

According to nemzetisport.hu, Gyula Zsivótzky first showed his talent at the 1958 European Championships in Stockholm, where he won a bronze medal. He went on by winning a silver medal at the Olympic Games held in Rome, and becoming the best of the European field in 1962.

He was preparing for the Tokyo Olympic Games with high hopes, when he had to go through a serious stomach operation. He spent 200 days in the hospital and lost 17 kilograms. But thanks to his incredible willpower, six months later he won another silver medal at the Olympic Games.

His dream came true in 1968 in Mexico, when he became the Olympic Champion of hammer throw. He also won thirteen National Championships and set several world and national records throughout his career.

Photo: Wiki Commons

He was chosen as the Hungarian athlete of the 20th century by the Hungarian Athletics Association, while the International Association of Athletics Federations listed him among the top 100 athletes of the past century. He was awarded with the Athlete of the Nation title in 2004.

Moreover, he was the vice-president of the Hungarian Athletics Association, the member of the Hungarian Olympic Committee’s presidency, the leader of the Traditionalist Committee and the president of the Mező Ferenc Public Foundation’s advisory board.

With his honesty, helpfulness, solidarity and sportmanliness, he became one of the greatest figures of Hungarian sport and the role model of young athletes.

He died in 2007, at the age of 70.

Featured image: www.fortepan.hu (MagyarRendőr)

Ce: bm