VIDEO – American champion athlete: “My heart is Hungarian”

The Hungarian press already speaks about him as “Kovács Józsi” (Joe is József in Hungarian, nicknamed Józsi), although he does not even have Hungarian citizenship. But his heart is Hungary, he said before he won bronze in the shot put.

According to Magyar Nemzet, Ryan Crouser won the competition with 23.51 metres, an all-time second-best. Meanwhile, his American compatriot, Joe Kovacs, won a bronze medal for the Americans with 22.12 metres.

Before the world athletics championships, he said that Hungarian athletics have a long history, but we do not have now an outstanding shot put. “I can be your man”, he added. He highlighted he represented the United States proudly, where he lives, but also the Hungarian flag, which hangs in his grandfather’s cellar.

He said in the interview that he visited Hungary when he was 5. He came with his grandfather, who returned to his homeland after 35 years and met his brother. He has been to Hungary four times since then and met his relatives in Szentpéterfa, in Vas County. He can already say: “Egészségedre!” in Hungarian with a beer in his hand. He said that he came to Hungary as if he went home since he may be able to hear “Kovacs” shouted by the spectators.

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Here is his best put:

22.12m for Joe Kovacs in round FIVE 🇺🇸

He currently sits in bronze medal standing 🥉 pic.twitter.com/Vvofp3mnNm

— Throwers Universe (@ThrowersUni) August 19, 2023

Joe Kovacs won two gold medals at the 2015 and 2019 world athletics championships. He had silver in the 2016 and 2020 summer Olympics. Here is his interview: