water polo

Want to study in Hungary? Here is your chance

Hungarian university among the world's best Hungarian universities

The government has signed an agreement with World Aquatics, paving the way for 200 athletes to study at Hungarian universities from 2027, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said on Friday. The scholarship deal will shift the education focus of global aquatic sports to Budapest and “contribute to the internationalisation of Hungary’s swimming and water polo,” Péter Szijjártó said after talks with World Aquatics chief Husain Al-Musallam.

Noting the body’s decision to move its headquarters to Budapest, the minister said this was “a gold medal for Hungary’s sports diplomacy”. The foreign ministry quoted Szijjártó as saying that the World Aquatics decision “puts the relationship between Hungary and international sports in a new dimension and could give tremendous momentum to Hungary’s swimming and water polo, while attracting investment to Hungary.”

“I also want to make it clear that the Hungarian government does not consider the move as an issue of construction or infrastructure development … there will certainly be construction … but we see the world body’s move to Hungary as part of a major, comprehensive swimming and water-polo development programme,” Szijjártó said.

The minister said it was a strategic goal to build “extremely close ties not only between Hungarian higher education and the economy but between higher education and sports, too.” International sports and Hungary’s higher education were being linked, he added. The government is committed to maintaining Hungary as “one of the world’s strongholds” for swimming and water polo.

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PHOTOS: Hungary’s men water polo team is World Champion in Fukuoka!

Hungary's men water polo team is World Champion

Greece and Hungary played for the men’s water polo gold in the 20th World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. Hungary could defeat Greece with penalties and sit on the top of the water polo world again, following ten years of being unsuccessful. Furthermore, Hungary’s men water polo team will participate in the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.

Before, Greece beat Serbia convincingly in the semi-finals 13:7. Meanwhile, Hungary dethroned Spain in the semi-finals 12:11 in a breathtaking finish since Krisztián Manhercz score the winning goal only in the last seconds. Furthermore, the goal was only official after a VAR check, since the ball barely crossed the imaginary goal line.

In the finals, Hungary played against a superstrong Greece. Here are the results: Greece: Hungary: 13:14 (2:4, 2:1, 3:2, 3:3; penalties: 3:4). You can see that Hungary lead during the “first half”, while the second half was a draw.

Hungary’s world champion in water polo. Congratulations!

Here are some photos of the match:

After a dramatic final, Hungarian men’s water polo team reaches the finals and qualifies for the Olympics

Hungarian water polo

The Hungarian men’s water polo team defeated the defending champion Spain 12-11 to reach the final of the Fukuoka World Aquatics Championships and qualify for next year’s Paris Olympics.

The Hungarians have thus maintained their unbeaten record against Spain in major world competitions (Olympics, World Cup, European Championship) since 1998.

In the last minute of the tie, Spain had a man advantage but missed a shot. With a few seconds left, Krisztián Manhercz fired a shot from an acute angle and the ball went under the arm of the Spanish goalkeeper and crossed the goal line at the last moment.

Zsolt Varga’s team will face the Greek team, who are the Olympic champions, in the final on Saturday.

Men’s water polo tournament, semi-final:
Hungary-Spain 12-11 (3-3, 1-3, 3-2, 5-3)

Hungarian man becomes a member of the World Aquatics body

Wladár Sándor

Sándor Wladár, the head of the Hungarian Swimming Association (MÚSZ), has assumed membership of the World Aquatics (WA) Bureau, MUSZ said on Thursday.

WA President Husain Al-Musallam praised ties between the governing body and Hungary at a meeting of the Bureau. MÚSZ has not only been a reliable partner for years, but that the quality of the organisation of events held in Budapest sets the “absolute standard” for all other hosts, he said, adding that Wladar played a prominent role in this.

Al-Musallam said the knowledge and experience of an Olympic champion was always of special value in the management of a sports organisation.

Wladár said: “It is an honour to become a member of the World Aquatics Bureau. Hungary has exceptional significance in the world of swimming and water polo sports, which means this assignment is both an honour and an extraordinary responsibility, and I will do my best to represent our interests as successfully as our athletes have performed in recent years and decades.”

MUSZ nominated Wladár after the expiry of the mandate of the previous member, Balázs Fürjes, a government state secretary, who indicated that he could not undertake another term due to important government and sports diplomacy assignments.

handball stadium hungary
Read alsoHungary cancels hosting the European Handball Championship?

Most loved sports in Hungary 

water polo

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Are you curious as to what kinds of sports the Hungarians enjoy?

Here, you can find all the information you need on the most popular sports in Hungary.

The National Sport of Hungary

Water polo is widely regarded as Hungary’s national pastime. In contrast to many other countries, Hungary’s national sport is not football but something considerably less well-liked. A popular sport, water polo is played by seven-member teams consisting of six outfielders and one goalkeeper. The game’s rules are a lot like football.

Hungry is a central European landlocked country. Budapest, the capital, is home to more than 1,752,000 people and borders Slovakia, Ukraine, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Austria (but more than 3,011,000 if you include the metropolitan area).

Hungary is the birthplace of water polo, a sport that has since spread worldwide. It’s deeply ingrained in Hungarian culture and has been for quite some time. Water polo is a game that was very recently introduced to the US. The sport has progressed from its 1987 Hungarian debut to the professional ranks.

It’s a lot like soccer in that it values quickness and teamwork. Although commonly performed in pools, the sport can also be enjoyed in the open ocean. Goals in men’s soccer are typically 20–30 meters apart, whereas, in women’s, it’s 25 meters. The pool can be any length, but it should be at least 10 to 20 meters wide. The optimal depth range is 1.8 m – 2 m. A two-meter and a five-meter line should also be painted on the pool’s perimeter.

For many years, Soviet authorities enforced strict control over Hungary, a satellite state. When the communists took over Hungary, the national water polo team practiced outside Budapest. Hungarian emigrant Ervin Zador escaped the camp and made it to Budapest to see his mother before the Soviets arrived. After learning about the insurrection, he returned to the camp to report on it. 

Football

Like the rest of the world, Hungary places a premium on football.

Although the Hungarian national team struggled, it enjoyed prolonged success in the 1950s and was even dubbed the “Golden Team.” They were captained by one of the game’s all-time greats, Ferenc Puskás, and came up short in the 1954 World Cup finals against West Germany amid allegations of referee assistance and doping. The FIFA Puskás Award, given to the player who scored the year’s most exquisite goal, bears his name in tribute.

Hungarians love to bet on sports like football at legit sites with positive reviews like what USA no deposit bonus offer.

Water Sports

Water sports primarily consist of water polo and swimming, Hungary’s second most popular sport. Although Hungary has no coastline, the country’s water polo (the national sport) and swimming teams are among the best in the world. 

Overall, Hungary’s performance at the Olympics has been nothing short of phenomenal. The country ranks ninth in overall medals, eighth in total gold medals, and second in total gold medals per capita.

Basketball

In the same vein as football, Hungary once had one of Europe’s top basketball teams from the middle of the 1940s until the middle of the 1960s. They had a lot of success in the European Basketball Championship and made it to the Summer Olympics several times. The quality has decreased since its previous peak.

Dávid Kornél is the only Hungarian basketball player in the NBA and is the most well-known.

Ice Hockey

Ice hockey is quite popular in Hungary, ranking as the number four sport there. Since 1928, the Hungarian national ice hockey team has competed at the Olympic Games, the IIHF European Championships, and the IIHF World Hockey Championships due to the sport’s widespread popularity in the country. They have been regulars at the World Championship and are now ranked 19th in the world by the International Ice Hockey Federation.

The Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation governs all aspects of ice hockey in Hungary, and the sport has a membership of about 8,000 people. However, there currently needs to be Hungarians playing in the NHL in North America.

Canoeing

Canoeing is a hugely popular sport in Hungary, and the country is a global powerhouse in the discipline. With five gold and three silver medals, the national team is also among the finest in the world.  

Hungary’s many lakes and rivers make it an ideal location for sport. Additionally, it has a rich history in the sport, having won 67 Olympic medals overall, including 17 gold. According to the International Canoe Federation, it also holds the top spot in the world.

Handball

Hungarian handball teams have a strong international presence due to the country’s widespread interest in the sport. Most teams compete as part of a club formally recognized by a national governing body. These governing bodies run leagues and tournaments. The IHF puts on the World Championships for both men and women and junior players. 

An estimated 19 million people participate in hockey worldwide, with 166 federations being members of the International Hockey Federation. The field measures 40 by 20 meters, with goals at both ends. The goals usually are two meters in height and three meters in width and are anchored to the ground or a wall for safety.

The officials agree upon the penalties in most handball games during a timeout. The referee’s final judgments may only be challenged if a team has violated the regulations.

Gymnastics

Hungary takes great pride in its gymnastics heritage, as the sport is widely followed and practiced throughout the country. One of the country’s most famous athletes is Agnes Keleti, a five-time Olympic winner and former coach. She placed third all-time among female Olympians and fourth among gold medalists with 10 medals from three different games. She also had great success as an athlete and was considered one of the most prominent Jewish women in sports.

Keleti started training at age four and won her first national championship at sixteen. She received her diploma in 1939, but antisemitic quotas meant that she could not continue her studies through high school. To make ends meet as she trained for the 1940 Olympics, which were ultimately canceled due to World War II, Keleti was obliged to take a job as an apprentice furrier.

Hungary’s women’s gymnastics team was a powerhouse at the 1976 Olympics. Among Hungary’s top eight routines, seven were created by Onodi. Moreover, she scored over nine points on each routine on average, making her the second-best gymnast overall. She also led the Hungarian squad in the All-Around finals, where her colleagues fell short.

Mourning: Hungarian Olympic, world and European champion dies

csapó gábor waterpolo olympic champion

Hungarian Olympic, world and European champion, 272-time national team water polo player Gábor Csapó has died at the age of seventy-two. According to the website of the Hungarian Water Polo Federation (MVLSZ), the legendary sportsman died at dawn on Sunday.

The Facebook page of waterpolo.hu wrote the following about him: “We have lost one of the legends of Hungarian water polo, who was a dominant figure in the sport as a player and coach. He was an absolute key man of the national team in the golden age of the seventies and of course an unshakeable pillar of Vasas, which won the European Champions Cup, the European Cup Winners Cup and a series of championships.”

Csapó was taken to hospital in early November and placed on a ventilator, suffering from an incurable illness, Telex reports.

Balatonalmádi
Read alsoEnergy-saving measures to be introduced in one of the biggest tourist centres of Lake Balaton

Budapest is the only capital in the world to host three world aquatics championships in 10 years

milák fina 2022 budapest wladár

Hungary and its capital “made history” through organising and holding the 19th World Aquatics Championships during the past two weeks, Balázs Fürjes, state secretary at the prime minister’s office and board member of the international water sports federation FINA, told a press conference on Monday.

Fürjes noted that the country had a mere four and a half months to prepare for the event attended by over 10,000 people. Foreign visitors spent some 77,000 guest nights in Budapest, he said, adding that “it did especially good to tourism” following recession in the sector caused by the coronavirus pandemic. He also added that the championships had been followed by over 2 billion people on television and online.

Budapest has become “an international sports capital”, Fürjes said, insisting that “nobody else could organise international sports events faster and more efficiently”.

“Budapest is the only capital in the world to host three world championships in 10 years,” he said, noting that in 2027 another FINA world competition would be held in Hungary.

Ádám Schmidt, state secretary for sports, thanked “all Hungarians” for their support to hold the event. He said “it has again been proven that if there is cooperation we will succeed in anything”. He also thanked visitors attending the events and FINA for giving Hungary the opportunity.

“I thank the government for its reacting fast and well in a difficult situation,” he said, referring to government help with the preparations made on short notice.

As we wrote today, FINA president expresses thanks to Hungary for hosting the 19th World Aquatics Championship, details HERE.

Wonder postponed: Hungary female water polo team won silver – PHOTOS

FINA world championships Budapest water polo

The Hungarian female water polo team could not defeat the United States in the today’s finals in Budapest. Interestingly, the men could also not win against the USA yesterday, so they will play only for the 7th place later.

US wins world woman’s water polo championship

The women’s water polo team of the United States won the world champion’s title after defeating Hungary in the final in Budapest on Saturday:

United States – Hungary 9-7 (2-1, 2-2, 3-1, 2-3)

FINA world championships Budapest water polo
The Hungarian female water polo team winning silver today. Photo: MTI
FINA world championships Budapest water polo
Hungary’s Gréta Gurisatti. Photo: MTI/Szilárd Koszticsák
FINA world championships Budapest water polo
This is how the Americans celebrated in Budapest today. Photo: MTI/Tibor Illyés

Played earlier on Saturday:

For 5th place:

Spain – Australia 8-5

For the bronze medal:

Italy – Netherlands 5-7

For 7th place:

Greece – France 16-7

Chinese victory in women’s 3 m springboard diving

China’s Chen Yiwen won the women’s 3 m springboard diving event in the 19th World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on Saturday.

Result:

1. Chen Yiwen (CHN) 366.90 points

2. Mia Vallee (CAN) 329.00

3. Chang Yani (CHN) 325.85

FINA world championships Budapest water polo
China’s Chen Yiwen won the women’s 3 m springboard diving event. Photo: MTI/Tamás Kovács

Aquatics: Hungary female water polo team to play for gold – PHOTOS

Aquatics world championships Budapest

Results of women’s water polo matches played in the 19th World Aquatics Championships in Hungary on Thursday:

Semi-finals:

United States – Italy 14:6 (3:0, 3:2, 4:1, 4:3)

Hungary – Netherlands 13:12

Classification matches:

Spain – France 18:5 (3:1, 3:2, 5:1, 7:1)

Australia – Greece 16:14 (2:2, 4:2, 4:4, 2:4, 4:2)

For 9th place:

Canada – New Zealand 20:11 (4:1, 5:1, 6:5, 5:4)

For 11st place:

Kazakhstan – Argentina 12:6 (4:2, 3:1, 3:1, 2:2)

Aquatics world championships Budapest
Alda Magyari (c), the goalkeeper of the Hungarian team. Photo: MTI/Szilárd Koszticsák
Aquatics world championships Budapest
Photo: MTI/Szilárd Koszticsák

China’s Wang Zongyuan wins men’s 1 m springboard diving

Wang Zongyuan won the men’s 1m springboard diving event in the 19th World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on Thursday.

Result:

1. Wang Zongyuan (China) 493.30 points

2. Jack Laugher (Great Britain) 426.95

3. Li Shixin (Australia) 395.40

Aquatics world championships Budapest
Springboard diving. Photo: MTI/Tamás Kovács

Chinese victory in women’s 10 m synchronised diving

Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan of China won the women’s 10m synchronised diving event in the 19th World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on Thursday.

Result:

1. Chen Yuxi, Quan Hongchan (CHN) 368.40

2. Delaney Schnell, Katrina Young (USA) 299.40

3. Pandelela Pamg, Nur Dhabitah Sabri (MAS) 298.68

Aquatics world championships Budapest
Women’s 10 m synchronised diving. Photo: MTI/Tamás Kovács

Canadian men’s water polo team leaves Budapest due to health reasons

Canada water polo

The men’s water polo team of Canada has withdrawn from the world championship tournament under way in Budapest, the Canadian Water Polo Association announced on its website on Saturday.

The “difficult decision” was made after “careful consideration” and “an open discussion with the athletes”, it said.

“This decision was made in order to ensure and preserve the short and long-term overall health, safety and well-being of participants, which always remains Water Polo Canada’s first and foremost priority,” the association said.

According to press reports, several members of the team have been infected with the coronavirus. After Canada’s withdrawal, group C features only three teams, namely Italy, Spain and the Republic of South Africa.

Air Canada Airplane
Read alsoAir Canada postponed its Budapest relaunch due to Russian-Ukrainian war

2022 Budapest World Aquatics Championships 5th day results – 21 June

milák

We have collected the results of day 5 of the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest

Men’s water polo results

Results of men’s water polo round 1 matches played in the 19th World Aquatics Championships in Hungary on Tuesday:

Group B:

Japan – Germany 12:11 (5:2, 3:2, 3:2, 1:5)

Group C:

Italy – South Africa 22:4 (4:2, 7:0, 8:1, 3:1)

Group D:

Australia – Kazakhstan 10:4 (1:0, 3:0, 3:2, 3:2)

Swimming finals on Tuesday

Results of the swimming finals of the 19th World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday:

Men’s 800m freestyle

1. FINKE, Bobby (USA) 7:39.36

2. WELLBROCK, Florian (GER) 7:39.63

3. ROMANCHUK, Mykhailo (UKR) 7:40.05

Women’s 200m freestyle

1. JUNXUAN, Yang (CHN) 1:54.92

2. O’CALLAGHAN, Mollie (AUS) 1:55.22

3. MUHAN, Tang (CHN) 1:56.25

Men’s 200m butterfly

1. MILÁK, Kristóf (HUN) 1:50.34 with WR

2. MARCHAND, Leon (FRA) 1:53.37

3. TOMORU, Honda (JPN) 1:53.61

Men’s 200m breaststroke

1. FINK, Nic (USA) 26.45

2. MARTINENGHI, Nicolo (ITA) 26.48

3. ANDREW, Michael (USA) 26.72

Mixed 4×100 m medley relay

1. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 3:38.79

2. AUSTRALIA 3:41.34

3. THE NETHERLANDS 3:41.54

Chinese victory in artistic swimming team technical event

China won the artistic swimming team technical event of the 19th World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday.

Results:

1. China 94.7202 points

2. Japan 92.2261

3. Italy 91.0191

2022 Acquatics World Championships started today in Budapest! – PHOTOS

2022 Acquatics World Championships Budapest

The 2022 Acquatics World Championships will be held between June 17 and July 3 in Budapest because Fukuoka in Japan stepped out due to the coronavirus epidemic.

According to MTI, prime minister Viktor Orbán met Husain Al-Musallam, the head of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) in Budapest, ahead of the start of the event, the prime minister’s press chief said on Friday. Budapest was appointed host of the games in February after Fukuoka, Japan, stepped back, citing the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Events will take place in Budapest, Debrecen, Sopron and Szeged, and will host some 2,300 athletes in five disciplines, Bertalan Havasi said.

Budapest last hosted an acquatics world championship in 2017.

Here are some photos:

2022 Acquatics World Championships Budapest
Synchronized swimming. Photo: MTI/Zsolt Szigetváry
2022 Acquatics World Championships Budapest
The Hungarian open water swim team in Balatonalmádi: Dávid Betlehem (l), Kristóf Rasovszky (c) and Anna Olasz (r). Photo: MTI/Anikó Kovács
2022 Acquatics World Championships Budapest
Anna Olasz. Photo: MTI/Anikó Kovács
2022 Acquatics World Championships Budapest
Kristóf Rasovszky. Photo: MTI/Anikó Kovács
2022 Acquatics World Championships Budapest
Photo: MTI/Zsolt Szigetváry
2022 Acquatics World Championships Budapest
Three times Olympic and nine times world champion Katinka Hosszú. Photo: MTI/Anikó Kovács
2022 Acquatics World Championships Budapest
The Hungarian water polo team training before their match with Georgia. Photo: MTI/Anikó Kovács
2022 Acquatics World Championships Budapest
The medals. Photo:
MTI/Anikó Kovács

Hungary hosts FINA World Cup 2022 – Programme guide

fina

This summer, the best swimmers in the world will come to Hungary. Between 18 June and 3 July 2022, Hungary will host the FINA World Cup. The venues include Budapest, Debrecen, Sopron and Szeged. Check out the detailed programme below!

FINA World Cup 2022 Programmes

This year, the participants of the FINA World Cup will compete in five sports. During the first week (18-25 June), the audience can see various competitions between the world’s best swimmers. Additionally, there will be artificial swimming numbers and group matches for water polo players. During the second week (26 June – 3 July), the audience can enjoy the diving and open-water swimming competitions, along with the straight knockout phase of the polo tournament. The preliminary rounds will start at 9 am every day, while the semi-finals and finals can be watched at 6 pm.

Hungarian venues

This year, the FINA World Cup will take place in four Hungarian cities, including Budapest, Debrecen, Sopron and Szeged.

In regard to the venues in the capital city, the swimming tournaments will take place in the Danube Arena, diving competitions in the Széchy Swimming Pool on Margaret Island, and water polo matches can be followed at the Alfréd Hajós National Swimming Stadium. Following that, the competition will continue in Debrecen, as well as in two brand new sports complexes built within the framework of the Modern Cities Program in Sopron and Szeged. In addition, the open-water swimmers are scheduled to compete at Lake Lupa, which made an excellent debut venue at last year’s European Championships – reported Programturizmus.

FINA stars

As the Hungarian news portal, M4 Sport reports,

watersport fans will have something exciting to look forward to during each day of the FINA World Cup

In addition to the men’s 400 individual medley, you can also watch the 4 × 100 men’s freestyle on the opening day of the FINA World Cup 2022. The Hungarian 4 × 100 men’s freestyle team had great success a few years ago. The European champion Szebasztián Szabó will have the chance to shine in the men’s 50 butterfly on the second day, followed by the women’s 200 medley final and the men’s 200 butterfly final. Latter is one of the most anticipated events, in which Kristóf Milák swam a cosmic world record at the last World Championships. On Tuesday 21 June, you can watch the women’s 200 butterfly, in which Boglárka Kapás is the defending champion. On Friday 24 June, Olympic silver medallist Milák will attempt another siege against his US rival Caeleb Dressel, who was the most successful swimmer at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, earning seven gold medals.

Read also: Hungary’s Milák wins uncontestable gold in Tokyo 2020 – Video

Important information

As the official webpage of FINA Budapest reports, the domestic team was committed to deliver the 2022 World Championships in record time, just within 4 months. As a result, the audience capacity will be reduced compared to the 2017 World Championships. In practice, this means that there will be a limited number of spectators on site. On the other hand, tens of thousands of tickets will be sold in several stages for one of the most popular and highest-profile events, the 8-day preliminaries and finals of the swimming competitions, as well as for the water polo matches. Therefore, you should not wait long to buy your tickets, which will be available from mid-May.

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The most memorable moments of Hungary in the Tokyo2020 olympics – VIDEOS

Hungary-Tokyo2020-team

As we reported before, Hungarian athletes collected 20 medals in Tokyo, which has made this year’s olympic games the most successful since 1996.

Nemzeti Sport collected the most memorable moments, which you can find below:

Áron Szilágyi’s historic success in fencing (gold)

Gergely Siklósi receives silver (fencing)

 

Kristóf Milák’s sensational swimming (butterfly, 200m)

Krisztián Tóth’s bronze (judo)

The Hungarian fencing team wins bronze

Kristóf Milák receives silver in 100m butterfly

Bálint Kopasz wins gold, while Ádám Varga silver in kayak-canoe 100m


Danuta Kozák – Dóra Bodonyi (bronze)


Zsombor Berecz marvellous silver in sailing

Tamás Lőrincz becomes Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, 77kg

Viktor Lőrincz wins silver (Greco-Roman wrestling 87kg)

Kristóf Rasovszky’s silver (swimming marathon, 10km)

Sándor Tótka’s gold in K-1, 200m

Tamara Csipes’s silver medal (kayak-canoe, 500m)

Sarolta Kovács wins bronze in modern pentathlon

Gábor Hárspataki almost defeats everybody and wins bronze in karate

Women K-4 is gold medallist in 500m

Women water polo team finishes in the third place after winning miraculously

Men water polo team wins bronze

Glorious! Check out the most memorable Hungarian Olympic victories! – VIDEOS

katinka hungarian flag

We do not have to wait long for this year’s Olympic Games excitement to start in Tokyo. Until then, we have collected the most memorable Hungarian victories and unforgettable moments that brought tears of joy to our eyes. Goosebumps are guaranteed! 😉

Swimming

Hungary can be proud of several excellent Olympians who left their mark on swimming forever. Among Hungarian females, the most memorable moments are connected to Krisztina Egerszegi at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Ágnes Kovács at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and Katinka Hosszú, known as the Hungarian Iron Lady, who broke the world record and won a gold medal in one fell swoop at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Among males, the most touching victories were grabbed by Attila Czene at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, as well as gold-medalist Dániel Gyurta who beat the world record (2:07:28 sec) in 200m breaststroke at the 2012 London Olympics. After these historical moments, Hungarian fans celebrated with tears of joy in their eyes.

Read also“Athletes of the Year”: Hosszu and Gyurta

Boxing

One of the most prominent Hungarian representatives of boxing is István “Kokó” Kovács who amazed us at the Atlanta Olympics after triumphing over his Cuban opponent and winning the gold medal in 1996.

Hungarian men’s water polo team

After 24 years, the Hungarian water polo team achieved a glorious victory at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and this title was successfully defended 4 years later at the 2004 Athens Olympics. As the commentator said, this was the moment when the fresh water of the pool was mixed with the salty tears of joy of the Hungarian water polo team.

Benedek Tibor
Read alsoTouching news — Tibor Benedek chosen as the Best Water Polo Player of the 21st century!

Skeet shooting

The greatest Hungarian talent of skeet shooting is Diána Igaly who had an unforgettable victory at the 2004 Sydney Olympics. With her magnificent victory, the wonderful female athlete secured her place among the most memorable Hungarian Olympic victories. In April 2021, Hungary was shaken by the tragic news that the legendary athlete passed away at age 56 from complications related to the coronavirus. As the central European country’s shooting association said in its statement “Diána Igaly was a legend of the sport”.

Wrestling

One of the most outstanding moments in wrestling was brought about by István Majoros at the Athens Olympics in 2004. The Hungarian team celebrated the glorious victory by hugging on the wrestling carpet.

Pentathlon

Zsuzsa Vörös’s achievement at the Athens Olympics in 2004 was a huge victory not only for Hungary but also for Hungarian women, as she was the first Hungarian female Olympic Champion in pentathlon.

The victorious moments can be watched in the following video:

Kayak-Canoe

“Not only the body, the soul… this is where we must be very strong” – said the commentator at one of the most memorable Hungarian victories realised by Attila Vajda at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In addition, we must mention another legendary canoer, György Kolonics, winner of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Hungary has several excellent sportspeople in kayak as well, in which some of the most unforgettable victories were realised by Katalin Kovács and Natasa Janics at the 2008 Beijing Games, as well as Gabriella Szabó and Danuta Kozák at the 2016 Rio Games.

Read alsoHungary won 6 gold and 12 Olympic quotas at the Kayak-Canoe World Championships in Szeged – photos

Gymnastics

Krisztián Berki, the Hungarian Olympic Champion won the pommel horse competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, having defeated his British opponent with a higher execution score. Four years later, in 2016, a pommel horse element of difficulty level ‘E’ was named after him.

Fencing

Among the most prominent champions in fencing, we must mention Emese Szász who had a brilliant victory over her Italian opponent after a close fight at the 2016 Rio Olympics, thus ensuring her place among the most memorable Hungarian Olympic victories. The sport’s other talent is the Hungarian right-handed sabre fencer, three-time Olympic Champion and two-time individual Olympic Champion Áron Szilágyi, whose first glorious victory was realised in London in 2012, which was followed by another Olympic Championship four years later in Rio.

Hungarian men’s speed skating

The most outstanding Hungarian talents of the Winter Olympics are undoubtedly the Liu brothers who realised a magnificent victory in a 5,000-metre relay race at the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018.

Check out the glorious victories in this video:

Football

The Golden Team (“Aranycsapat”), also known as the team of the “Magnificent or Magical Magyars”, refers to the well-known name of the best Hungarian football team of all time, led by Ferenc Puskás, who became an emblematic figure and is still one of the best-known Hungarian football players in the world. The Hungarian Golden Team achieved one of the greatest successes in the history of football at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. After the brilliant victory, the Hungarian team’s winning series began in the upcoming years, including the world-famous “Match of the Century” in 1953: Hungary-England: 6-3.

And the list is still not over because, in addition to all these memories, we were able to experience a number of other unforgettable moments thanks to the talented Hungarian sportspeople. And many more coming soon! 🙂

Read also: Olympic Games still on in Tokyo, Japan

7 things in which Hungarians are among the best

katinka hungarian flag

We Hungarians are at the forefront of many things. Every foreigner remembers something about Hungary: special dishes, fascinating landscapes, interesting language, beautiful women, Ferenc Puskás, the Rubik’s Cube, Albert Szent-Györgyi, or János Neumann. However, there are a lot of other things in which Hungarians are among the best. In our list below, we have compiled these more or less obvious areas.

1. Mineral and thermal water

Hungary’s geographical location is advantageous in many ways. These include mineral waters and healing thermal waters from springs and deep wells. In terms of surface thermal water resources, only Iceland is ahead of us. Budapest is the capital with the most thermal and medicinal water springs in the world. There are 118 thermal wells in Budapest, and there are 224 different mineral waters in Hungary, of which 207 are medicinal waters. Hévíz has the second-largest thermal lake in the world. This feature is good for Hungarian tourism. Approximately 23-24 million visitors arrive for this purpose every year.

Hévíz, thermal bath, Hungary
facebook.com/heviz.info

2. Olympic medals

Hungary does not have the most Olympic gold medals or total medals, and we only recently celebrated our first victory at the Winter Olympics. However, if we examine the Summer Olympic gold medals and total medals obtained in proportion to the population, we can see that Hungary is among the best on the list. During the 26 Summer Olympic Games, Hungarian athletes won nearly 500, or more precisely, 491 medals, and 175 of the medals were awarded on the top step of the podium.

3. Water sports

From these medals, the athletes’ successes, as well as the geographical features of Hungary, we can deduce that many of these medals were won in water sports. In terms of canoeing, Hungary has 80 Olympic medals, which is the most, while 25 gold medals is the third after Germany and the Soviet Union.

The Hungarian water polo team also contributed to the success. The men’s national team won 9 times at the Olympics, succeeding 3 times in a row between 2000 and 2008. They can also be proud of a number of World Cup, World Championship, European Cup, and European Championship victories.

water-polo-Hungary
Debrecen, hungary. Photo: MTI

Last but not least, our swimmers also achieve great results. Tamás Darnyi, Krisztina Egerszegi, Dániel Gyurta, Lászlós Cseh, and Katinka Hosszú have also achieved many successes in various competitions in the history of the Olympics, as well as other world and continental competitions.

4. Nobel Prize

We are not only outstanding in terms of sports performance but also in the sciences. Representing Hungary, 13 people won the Nobel Prize, including Imre Kertész in 2002 in the Literature category and Albert Szent-Györgyi in 1937 in the Medicine category. These 13 awards may not be the most impressive; however, if we consider that the award is not for just one person but is projected to the population of the country, Hungary is already in a more prominent position.

5. Female teachers

There are many women in Hungarian education. In Hungary, 79 per cent of teachers are women, that means 8 out of 10 teachers. In most countries, there are more female teachers than male teachers. However, this high proportion puts Hungary at the forefront. It is a sad fact that the average age of teachers is increasing, making it an increasingly unattractive profession for young people.

6. Car manufacturing

Previously, there were 13 cars produced per a thousand people, but now, this number is 20 or more. This is double the world average. Slovakia and the Czech Republic are far ahead, where more than 100 cars are made per 1,000 people. However, the Hungarian car industry is growing dynamically. Audi, Mercedes, Opel, and Suzuki together create 21,500 jobs in Hungary. Cheap, skilled labour puts the domestic automotive industry in the spotlight even more. Thanks to this, BMW will also join the previously mentioned manufacturers by establishing a factory in Debrecen.

7. Social media

It may come as a surprise, but Hungarians are also at the forefront in using social media. 83 per cent of internet users use at least one social media platform. This is 20 per cent above the European average. For young people aged 16-24, the rate is 97%, the first in Europe. One of the first social media sites was iWiW, a Hungarian invention. Facebook has 5.5 million Hungarian users. This is followed by YouTube and Instagram.

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Touching news — Tibor Benedek chosen as the Best Water Polo Player of the 21st century!

Benedek Tibor

Tibor Benedek, three-time Olympic champion, European and world water polo champion, was chosen as the best water polo player of the 21st century by the famous sports news site Total Waterpolo.

The results are based on 40 expert votes and 50.000+ public votes;

according to which, the three-time Olympic, European and world champion Tibor Benedek received the most votes in men’s category,

while the two-time Olympic and three-time world champion Maggie Steffens received the most votes in women’s category.

As the Hungarian news portal Telex reports, in addition to the top-ranked water polo legend,

the top five includes other two Hungarian water polo athletes, Tamás Kásás and Dénes Varga, who are also three-time Olympic champions.

Besides them, two Serbian classics, Filip Filipovic and Vladimir Vujasinovic, a Croatian, Josip Pavic, and a Spanish center of Cuban descent, Ivan Perez, are also on the list.

Tibor Benedek died in June this year at the age of 47. He was one of the best left-handed water polo players in the world, winning Olympic championships in 2000, 2004 and 2008. First, he became world champion in Barcelona in 2003, followed by another world championship trophy ten years later as the federal captain of the Hungarian men’s water polo team.

This posthumous recognition is a further proof that

“Tibor Benedek is the greatest among the timeless legends.”

As Total Waterpolo reports – “Both, Experts and fans had no doubt: Warrior wins again. Another testament to the impact Tibor had on our beautiful game. The legacy he left will undoubtedly help water polo create timeless legends in the future.

benedek commemoration
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Multiple Hungarian athletes diagnosed with COVID-19

uvse water polo team

Seven water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 during the UVSE water polo team testing. The Újpest Ice Rink was closed down after a hockey player’s test came back positive. A positive coronavirus case was registered amongst the Puskás Academy.

On their social media page, UVSE shared that their team and technical crew underwent testing on Friday night, and three people’s tests turned out positive, reported szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu. Their next testing will be on Wednesday at Semmelweis University’s Clinic. In the meantime the team cancelled all their training and training camps, the players will continue doing workouts they did during the quarantine.

UVSE last played against Szentes on Wednesday at the Hungarian Cup on Margaret Island. The semifinals, which would have been on Wednesday, and the matches for placement, which would have taken place on Thursday, were postponed after four players from the FTC-Telekom Waterpolo guard also tested positive.

UTE’s social media page also published a post, saying: “One of our adult hockey players’ coronavirus-test turned out positive. To avoid further infections, a disinfecting cleaning of our ice rink had been ordered, and the rink will be closed indefinitely.” Medical authorities will start contacting people who might have come into contact with the infected player.

The FTC-Újpest Super Cup match, which would have taken place on September 4, has been postponed, announced János Ancsin, and added that, although Erste League was supposed to start on September 11, he will request the first match to be delayed by a week or two.

One of their players did not feel well at the Saturday morning training, so they sent him to be tested, and on Sunday morning, he notified the club managers that he tested positive, Ancsin said. Both the entire adult and junior players were tested on Monday, and the rink will be closed off hermetically for at least a week.

Puskás Academy also put out a statement: “A coronavirus case was registered among our team, so the team’s OTP Bank Liga match against Budapest Honvéd will be pushed back to a later date when the match can be safely organised.” Hungarian Football Federation will appoint the new date, reported 444.hu.

HOSSZÚ Katinka
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